Boundless as the Sea
by Calla3131
Summary: Commander Steve McGarrett is not thrilled when the governor places Allie Rhodes on his team without warning, and without asking for his opinion. He's even less pleased when it turns out that Allie is one mystery after another. But he is determined to learn her secrets, if for no other reason than to keep his task force family safe from whatever her secrets may bring.
1. New Beginnings

… **..**

 **Hello, everyone, and welcome to my newest story. Hawaii Five-O has quickly become my new favorite show following a binge on Netflix, so I wanted to jump on this idea that I had. I hope that you guys enjoy it and, if you do, PLEASE favorite, follow, or leave a review! (Or do all three, if you're an overachiever. I'll even take a private message.)**

 **Just so you all know, I am mostly just using the characters and the premise for my story. So, if you read something and you're thinking,** _ **no, that's not possible because of that thing that happened in season whatever**_ **, just know that it** _ **is**_ **possible in this little slice of the Hawaii Five-O universe that I've created.**

 **I** _ **do**_ **hope that I stay mostly true to the characters, though. And I hope that you can enjoy this.**

… **..**

 _Chapter One: New Beginnings_

Allie

"What does one wear to their first day on a new task force?" I asked, hands on my hips as I stared at the contents of my closet.

From the floor by the bathroom door, Gideon huffed out a breath.

Affection filled me as I turned to look at my specially-trained German Shepherd. I'd had him for five years and he'd gotten me through more than I could ever thank him for, but evidently, he was no help when it came to getting ready in the morning.

"Oh, come on," I told him and knelt down to gently rub his favorite spot behind his ears. "I took you for our daily morning run and you got your breakfast. But, now, I have to go to work. And I can't go to work in a bra and panty set." I looked down at the blue, lacy material. "Sexy as it might be." With one more rub, I stood and moved for the closet once more.

After much deliberation, I finally decided on a pair of black skinny jeans and a black and white striped shirt. I needed to be able to run in my shoes, so heels were out, but I decided that I could wear my favorite pair of black booties. They only had a small heel, so pursuits shouldn't prove to be much of a problem.

"What do you think?" I asked, turning a full three-sixty in front of Gideon.

He didn't even react.

"You're killing me," I sighed, but smiled. A glance at the clock got me moving. "Okay, I can't be late for my meeting with the governor this morning, so I have to go. You're going to be just fine here; I promise. I installed the switch yesterday, so you can open the door to go outside. You're all tagged up, just in case you get lost. You with me?" I began to head down the stairs, but I needn't have worried, because Gideon was already following behind me.

"Awesome," I told him and felt him watching me as I picked up the keys to my new black Camaro. "I'll try to come back around lunchtime. If not, I'll at least be home by tonight and we'll go for a workout. Sound good?"

Gideon softly barked his approval and I smiled at him as I gave him one last pet. "Be good! I'll be back later!" I rushed out into the garage and slid into my Camaro.

I'd been in Honolulu for a week, and in that time, I had learned my way around pretty well. I didn't even have to use my GPS to make it to the governor's office. There was still a lot to learn about my temporary home, but I liked to think of myself as a quick study. In a matter of weeks, I knew I would be on par with the locals.

"I'm here to see the governor," I told the receptionist, an elderly lady with a kind smile. Without wanting to, I took in every detail about her. Her dress with flower print had barely noticeable cat hairs on it. There were three different colors of hair, so she had at least three different cats. She kept adjusting her glasses, so they were new. And she wore a gold band on a chain around her neck, so she was recently widowed.

"Your name, dear?" she asked me. Her voice was slightly raspy. Smoker.

 _Stop that_ , I silently reprimanded myself. "Allison Rhodes."

She smiled at me as she stood from her chair. "I'll go let the governor know that you're here. He wanted to see you as soon as you arrived. Can I get you some coffee or water?"

"No, thank you." Old habits died hard, and I didn't take drinks from strangers. Someday, I hoped, I would be less paranoid. "I'll just have a seat and wait."

The chair that I sat in was comfortable, but I didn't allow myself to get too comfortable because I wouldn't be there for long. And, sure enough, the receptionist was back in only a few moments to lead me back to the governor's office.

Standing just outside were two guards dressed in dark suits, and I forced myself not to look at them so that I wouldn't get caught up in analyzing everything about them. My paranoia was not healthy, according to the therapist that I'd been forced to see after my last mission. I'd promised to work on it and I thought that I'd been making some good strides, but more could be done, certainly.

"Agent," the governor greeted when I walked into the room. He stood from behind his large mahogany desk and smiled at me. "Or do you prefer Commander?"

"Allie," I corrected him and heard the door shut behind me as I stepped further into the room. "Good to see you again, Governor." The last time that I had seen him had been a week prior, when I'd been negotiating my contract with him.

"You as well." He waved me to one of the chairs in front of his desk and watched me sit. "Can I get you anything to drink? Did you have breakfast?"

"I did. I'm fine, thank you." I slowly crossed my legs and watched him sink into his large chair. With his great height and girth, he almost swallowed it whole. "Why is it that you wanted to see me this morning?"

"Today is supposed to be your first day with the Five-O task force. I wanted to introduce you to your new boss myself."

"That's very thoughtful." But I knew that wasn't all that he had wanted. "Where is he?"

"He should be here soon." The governor leaned back slightly and linked his fingers together on his desk. "I would also like to ask a favor from you. I think that I was very generous when you wanted to join my task force. Paid for your flight. Got you a house on the beach. A new car."

"When _I_ wanted to join your task force?" I put a healthy dose of skepticism into my voice. "Governor, as I understand it, my former commanding officer called and asked if you needed anyone else on your task force. As he explained it to me, you were eager to have someone of my skill set on your task force. I _do_ appreciate your generosity, but please don't try to use it as leverage."

His deep brown eyes bored into mine for a few moments and then he nodded, pursing his lips in what seemed to be approval. "I can appreciate that. Okay, then I'm just asking for a favor."

I nodded, grateful that he hadn't pushed his supposed leverage. "Okay. Let's hear it."

"The leader of my Five-O task force is Lieutenant Commander Steven McGarrett. Do you know much about him?"

"I did some research when Seth Durant told me about this job," I answered. "Former Navy SEAL. Former Naval Intelligence. Now, he's on the United States Navy Reserves while he heads up this task force, which he's been doing for a couple of years now." I hadn't dug any deeper than that, even though I had wanted to. Given enough time, I could have hacked deeper into his file and looked up his missions.

"He's a solid guy," the governor said with a nod. "I think most SEALs are. His father was also said to be a solid man. But his father played by his own rules, and that got him killed. I'm hoping that Steve McGarrett is not the same way."

"Governor, didn't you give the Five-O task force full immunity? How is that not allowing him to play by his own rules?"

He didn't answer my question. "What I'm asking you for is inside information."

It didn't take a genius to read between the lines. "You want me to keep tabs on Steve McGarrett and report back to you."

He nodded. "Not every single day," he said, explaining himself. "Just when you think there's something I need to know. I want to make sure that he doesn't cause any more international incidents or blow up any more boats. Maybe you could just keep me informed… once a week?"

"Once a week," I repeated. Not a question. Not an agreement. A statement.

He shrugged. "Type it up and mail it in, if you want. No one will know that it's you reporting to me. I won't even tell anyone that I'm receiving any such reports, nor that I asked anything of you. But I need to know that my task force is operating as it should."

"There's always a price to pay, it seems," I sighed softly and then nodded. "Okay. I'll send you a typed report once a week. And it better not ever get back to me."

He raised his right hand as if giving an oath before court. "You have my word."

I wasn't sure how much that was worth, but I didn't voice that. Before I could, the phone on the governor's desk began to ring and he picked it up with a quick greeting.

"Perfect," he said after listening for a moment. "I'm ready for him. Please send him in." After he hung up the phone, he opened one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a gun in a holster and a badge, which he handed to me. "You're going to be needing these, Officer."

I took them and studied them only momentarily. "Thank you, Governor."

A few moments later, the door behind me opened and I stood from my chair, turning around to face the new person.

Steve McGarrett was just a tiny bit over six feet tall, with green eyes and brown hair that was neatly trimmed. There was some slight stubble on his face, but he obviously shaved and just kept it that way. It gave him a manly, rugged appearance that fit right in with the tough guy persona he had going on. He appeared to be extremely athletic, but that didn't surprise me for a former SEAL. He probably still kept up his fitness routine. He was even dressed in the type of clothes that you would expect from a military man – khaki cargo pants, boots, and a gray tee beneath an unbuttoned, dark blue shirt.

"Commander McGarrett," the governor said as he came around the large desk to greet Steve with a firm handshake. "Thank you for coming. I'd like for you to meet Allison Rhodes, the newest member of Five-O."

I stepped forward to shake his hand. "Allie, please. It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander McGarrett." He was only a Lieutenant Commander, according to his file, but sometimes that could be a mouthful. Perhaps everyone just said Commander because it didn't make much of a difference to them.

He nodded stiffly at me as he shook my hand. "And you… your title? I don't think that the governor ever mentioned it."

"I don't like titles." I took my hand back and forced a smile. "But I'm excited to be working with Five-O. I've heard a lot of great things." All from Seth Durant, who had all but begged me to take the job just to get away for a while.

McGarrett nodded and looked to the governor. "Did you just bring me here to introduce me to the new recruit?" I could tell from his tone that he wasn't thrilled about having me on board. I would be the first member of his task force that he hadn't hand-picked.

"She was going to be here anyway, so I thought I could personally introduce the two of you. I'm sure this is the beginning of a wonderful relationship."

Neither Steve nor I touched that.

"If that's all, Governor, then we should get to work." Steve looked to me. "Do you need a ride to headquarters?"

"No, thanks. I was issued my own car and I know where HQ is."

"Then I will see you there." Steve nodded at the governor on his way out and then he was gone.

I wasn't far behind.

Steve

I was probably driving a bit faster than I should have. Anger was coursing through my body and I was having some trouble keeping it at bay. When the former governor had set up the task force, she had assured me that I had full immunity and was allowed to choose its members.

When the new governor had taken over after the former governor had died, he had told me that he wanted to keep the task force going because it had done so much for Hawaii. He hadn't wanted us to keep our full immunity, but he had soon realized that it was necessary for us to be as efficient as possible. But now… now he was putting an unknown on my team.

I had tried to look Allie Rhodes up in every system I had access to, but I hadn't found much. Even my contacts with the military hadn't been able to find any more than I had. There was nothing to be found on her before the age of eighteen, leading me to believe that she had changed her name at that time. And, at the very young age of eighteen, she was working at the CIA. I hadn't been able to find a position, because her agency file was classified.

Then, at the age of twenty-six, she had gone on to work on a few different teams – bomb squad, translators for foreign embassies… she had many talents. But the fact that so much mystery surrounded her did not sit right with me. It could have just been protection from the agency because of whatever she'd done for them, but what kind of person went to work for the CIA at the age of eighteen? Something about her just didn't add up.

And now, she was a member of my task force.

The task force that was more like my family than my coworkers.

She arrived at headquarters only a few seconds behind me, and I waved for her to follow me. She did so quietly, her small heels tapping gently against the floor. At least she wasn't one of those women that felt the need to fill silences with awkward and senseless conversation.

Chin and Kono were teasing Danny about his new tie, but they all grew silent when we entered, their eyes going to Allie.

I made the introductions. "This is Allie Rhodes. She's the newest member of our task force, assigned by the governor himself. Allie, this is Chin Ho Kelly and his cousin, Kono Kalakaua. And this is Danny Williams."

She shook hands with each of them and they all exchanged pleasantries as I stood there, fuming silently. I didn't know how long it would take me to get over it.

Just as Kono began to ask Allie a question, I received a call on my cell. It was HPD, likely calling with a case. I answered. "McGarrett."

"Commander McGarrett," an officer said from the other end. "We have a pretty bad one out here. Art thieves hit a private collection in a home. We have two dead vics and the owner. He's the one that found them here."

"Got it," I said and nodded at the others to let them know that we had a case. "Send me the address. We're on our way."

"Do you even have a gun and badge?" Chin asked Allie as we headed down the stairs together at a jog.

"The governor gave them to me," she answered him and I assumed that she showed him her badge. I hadn't noticed that she'd been armed. Of course, she answered that concern next. "My gun is in my car. I didn't have a lot of time to situate the holster yet."

I received the address of the crime in the form of a text message and quickly began to forward it. "Alright, I just got the address. I'll send it to the rest of you."

"I'll just follow behind," Allie said, and I realized that I didn't have her number programmed into my phone yet. I wouldn't, as she had only started that morning. I made a mental note to get it from her later and make sure that the rest of the team had it as well.

"I'll ride with Allie," Kono announced to everyone as we jogged out the doors. "Make sure she knows the way around."

"Good," I called back as Danny and I headed for the silver Camaro. "See you all there."

Danny and I took off in the lead and only twenty seconds into the ride, Danny said, "Something tells me you're not too psyched about this new girl. Does that mean she's up for grabs?"

I had to admit that she _was_ very beautiful. She had that thin yet muscular body that all men seemed to be obsessed with. The boots she'd been wearing had added only an extra inch to her five-seven(ish) height. Her dark hair had been up in a stylish ponytail, but it had looked to be about shoulder blade length. Oval face, fine bone structure, and bright blue eyes framed by thick lashes only added to the allure.

But her looks didn't matter to me.

"The governor picked her," I answered him. "He obviously thinks that she'll be a great addition to our team."

"You sound doubtful," he said. Of course he would have picked up on that; he was a detective and I wasn't exactly hiding it. "What do you know about her?"

"Not much," I admitted begrudgingly. "I looked her up in all of the systems I have access to, but there wasn't much on her. She worked for the CIA at some point, but I have no idea in what capacity. She's been on the bomb squad, a translator for foreign embassies… But I couldn't find anything else. It was the barest file I've ever seen."

He seemed as surprised by that as I had been when I'd first seen it for myself. "Did you reach out to anyone to see if they knew anything else?"

"They only found the things that I had found. Her file is pretty locked down."

"Wow." He sounded impressed. "Glad she's on our side, then. She was probably an assassin or something, don't you figure? Why else would her file be so locked up?"

I couldn't believe it. "This isn't funny."

"I didn't say it was funny," he informed me. "But you need to relax a little bit, Steve. The governor assigned her to the task force, so there's not much you can do about it. You might as well take advantage of the wealth of talent that you've obviously been handed. Don't be so uptight."

"Uptight," I said, still disbelieving that he could be so casual about it.

"If she doesn't pull her weight, then maybe we have a problem. But you haven't even seen her in action yet. Try to keep an open mind. That's all I'm saying."

I didn't reply. There was no point. Obviously, I was going to have to deal with my anger on my own. And… perhaps Danny had a point. I hadn't even seen her in action yet, so I needed to reserve any judgment until I had. But that didn't mean that I wasn't going to keep a very close eye on her in the meantime.

Until I knew that I could trust her one hundred percent, I was going to be keeping a _very_ close eye on her.

"We're here," I announced when we pulled up to the veritable mansion. It definitely looked like the kind of place that housed a private art collector.

"I'm sick of looking at all of these ridiculous houses when I can barely afford a respectable place," Danny complained as he got out of the car.

"Your problem is that you're so picky," I informed him. "And to remind you, you _had_ a really nice apartment and then you gave it up because you were convinced that it was haunted."

As he began to argue that it really _had_ been haunted, I watched Allie's black Camaro pull into the driveway.

Showtime.


	2. The Art Expert

… **..**

 **Another chapter up! I thought that the last one went pretty well and it didn't even take me that long to write. I really hope that the rest of them can be that way, but I highly doubt it. Either way, I at least hope that you continue to enjoy the chapters.**

 **I was originally only going to post once a week, but I got three reviews in one day (even though it's only showing one, for some reason), and I wanted to celebreate!**

 **I wanted to say a quick thank you to those of you that have favorited, followed, or reviewed. I appreciate each and every single one of you. And also a big thank you just for reading my story. I appreciate the support.**

 **On to the story!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Two: The Art Expert_

Allie

The home that we pulled up to was gorgeous. White and French style, with a large circular drive. Of course, that drive was littered with cop cars, which made the whole scene significantly less elegant.

"It's always the rich and famous," Kono sighed as she got out of the passenger side of the car. I liked her. She dressed in clothing very similar to mine and had dark brown eyes that matched her shoulder length hair worn straight. She had a seemingly easygoing manner, and I felt like we would get along well. "Why is it always the rich and famous?"

I didn't respond to that and, instead, headed for the door. Steve, Danny, and Chin were already entering the home. Kono and I were right behind them.

"Chin, Kono, talk to the owner," Steve said and gestured to the man sitting on the couch in the grand living room. He was dressed in an expensive suit and was clearly distraught, eyes red from crying. I didn't sense any guilt from him, so I immediately dismissed him from my mind.

Chin and Kono moved to do as Steve had asked and Danny, Steve, and I followed a uniformed officer up the spiral staircase.

The two bodies were lying in what had been the gallery, before it had been looted. I could see the hooks on which paintings had been hung, the display cases that had likely held vases or other non-painting pieces of art. And judging by the size of the room, the guy downstairs was a serious collector. Perhaps I'd heard of him…

The medical examiner was already there, kneeling by the bodies, and Steve called out to him. "Max. What do we got?"

The man named Max looked up and I almost laughed. He was as dorky-looking as they came, with an Asian appearance and big glasses covering dark eyes. He was wearing his medical examiner's jacket, but I was willing to bet that he was dressed just like your stereotypical geek.

Not that I was one to judge…

"The victims are Susan and Madison Coulter. The wife and daughter, respectively. Cause of death on both is a GSW to the chest. Two shots each, both with a nine-millimeter. We found the shell casings already. Pretty cut and dry, but I'll let you know if I find anything else during my autopsy."

"Thanks, Max," Steve said and took the gloves that a crime scene tech handed him.

Danny did the same, gesturing to me with the gloves. "Max, this is Officer Allie Rhodes. She's new to Five-O."

"Oh." Max smiled at me. "It's very nice to meet you, Officer Rhodes."

"Allie," I corrected him and smiled back, pulling my own gloves on. "It's nice to meet you, Max."

He nodded at me as he stood and directed the techs to move the bodies onto stretchers so that they could be loaded into his vehicle. That was definitely one job I did _not_ want.

"Okay, so the thieves break in," Steve began.

" _Thieves_?" Danny asked him.

"Yeah, this was way too quick to be just one guy." Steve pointed up to the corner where a security system camera sat against the ceiling. "I'll text Kono and tell her to ask the owner for access to the feed."

"Don't bother," I told him after a quick study of the camera. "It's not working."

Danny and Steve were both staring at me, but it was Steve that answered. "And how would you know that? These cameras don't have a light that blinks when they're on."

It didn't take an expert behavioral analyst to know that this guy wasn't crazy about me. He didn't like that he'd been forced to accept me onto his special team and he didn't like that he didn't know me and my skills. That made me a wild card and men like him didn't like wild cards.

I could have asserted myself and fought back, making him look like an idiot. But I knew that approach wasn't going to really get me anywhere. If we were just butting heads all of the time, he wouldn't be far back enough to see my skill set and that I could be useful to him. So, until he _did_ see me that way, I needed to try not to step on his toes. Let him lead and show that I was willing to follow.

Hopefully, he would learn to trust me.

I shrugged as if I didn't care one way or another. "I could be wrong; it was just a feeling. Have Kono check with the owner."

He stared at me for only a moment longer before he looked back down at his cell phone and began to type. "I will."

Thinking that it would be best if I just kept my mouth shut for the duration of the visit to the house, I moved off to examine some of the displays.

"Do we know if the owner has a list somewhere of all of the art he had in here?" Danny asked, voicing exactly what I'd been thinking.

Steve shook his head. "I'll tell Kono to ask the owner about that as well. Anyone see anything out of the ordinary?"

"No," Danny said from the wall of hooks.

"No," I affirmed, much more quietly, from one of the displays. "They've already dusted these for fingerprints, but I doubt that they found any."

"I don't see anything, either," Steve sighed. "We're going to have to pray that they were caught on security camera. And that they weren't wearing masks. Keep looking."

So, the three of us combed the small room. The crime techs hadn't missed anything, though, so our search was fruitless. I was actually relieved when Kono and Chin came through the door to tell us what they had learned from the homeowner.

"He got home after the robbery had occurred," Chin told us. "Didn't see a thing, obviously. Poor guy actually ate his takeout at the kitchen table before he came up here and found them. They were supposed to be at a doctor's appointment for the eight-year-old daughter. She had an autoimmune disease and had to go in once a month for a checkup."

"What time was the appointment?" Steve asked.

Chin consulted his small black notebook very quickly. "Nine. They would have needed to leave here by eight-fifteen to get there on time, which means that the robbery had to have happened around then and prevented them from making it."

Only eight years old and dead for some art. I couldn't understand that and I never would. A human life was priceless. But not to everyone, obviously.

"Did you ask about the security camera in here?" Steve asked. "And the inventory list?"

"He gave us the inventory list," Kono said and held up a sheet of paper. "But he said that the security camera in here – as well as a few of the others – have been out for a few weeks. He said he'd been meaning to get them fixed, but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. But some other cameras caught the guys. I'll have the footage for us back at headquarters."

Danny, who had been holding in laughter, suddenly burst with it, causing everyone to look at him in confusion and surprise.

Steve's jaw was tight.

"What's so funny?" Chin asked.

Danny waved his question away and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, babe. Inside joke." And he winked at me before clapping Steve on the shoulder on the way out of the room.

I kept my head down as I made my own exit. Behind me, Chin and Kono were asking Steve about it, but he was tight-lipped for obvious reasons.

I stopped by my house on the way back to headquarters both to check on my dog and grab myself some lunch. By the time that I returned, Kono had started examining the video and had made copies of the inventory list for everyone. Steve and Danny were in their respective offices, and Chin was apparently out to lunch.

"Your office is through there," Kono said and pointed to the only small office with the lights off. "Not much time to decorate it right now, but I'm sure you'll get around to it."

I smiled. "I'm not really the decorating type. Thanks."

The office was small, but definitely not the smallest I'd ever been in. And it was completely closed in for a little more privacy, though all of the walls were glass except for the outside wall, but even that one had big windows. The only furniture was a wall to wall bookshelf behind a desk much like the one in the governor's office. There was also a chair and a phone on the desk that I would likely never need to use. I _would_ , however, be using the laptop that was also provided.

"Not bad," I sighed and took a seat in my new chair. It was relatively comfy; I'd definitely had worse.

After a few more moments spent looking at my new space, I turned my attention to the list that Kono had given me.

And something on it was off.

My uncle Edward answered on the third ring. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

I felt myself frowning. "How do you even know who this is, Uncle Edward?"

He scoffed at me. "I'm old, not an idiot. You told me that you were moving to Hawaii. This is a number from Hawaii. And, as the only other people I communicate with on the islands are already contacts in my phone, I made the deduction. New number?"

"They got me a new phone when I took the job," I answered. "Listen, I need a favor."

"You and your favors. I don't suppose…"

"No," I said firmly, guessing exactly where his thoughts were headed. "But it's similar. There was an art robbery this morning. Private collection. I'm looking at the inventory list right now and something isn't adding up. It says here that he owned a Hollis Clayton original from 1943."

Uncle Edward whistled. "Those are hard to come by. In 1943, Hollis Clayton only put out-"

"Three originals," I finished for him. "I know. And I thought I knew where all of them were."

"You've been out of the game for quite a while," he said, almost as if consoling me. "I know for sure where one of them is. Should I track down the other two for you?"

"I'd appreciate it."

"My return favor is that you call every once in a while," he said, making me smile. "Sometimes, an old man just wants a friendly hello."

"I'll keep that in mind," I assured him. "Let me know as soon as you hear anything back from your contacts."

"Will do." He hung up.

With nothing else to do, I went back out into the main area where Kono was examining the security camera footage. Unfortunately, the robbers had worn masks the entire time, as well as gloves to prevent any fingerprints. There would be no evidence in that house or on the tape.

"It looks like the robbers came in just as our victims were getting ready to leave the house and go to the daughter's appointment. They saw them and the mother tried to call the police, but the robbers pulled out guns and forced them to show them to the private gallery. And I'm assuming that they were killed in there, since they never came out with the guys."

I shook my head. "If they'd left only a minute earlier…"

"I was thinking the same thing," Kono told me with a sad smile. "I'm going to relay this to Steve and then I'm heading out to grab some lunch. Want to come?"

I'd made myself a sandwich at my house, but I didn't feel like I was in a position to turn away a friend. Especially one on the task force. "Yeah, sure. I could eat."

She smiled, nodded, and went to talk to Steve.

Steve

"Still not over the fact that Allie was right about the camera?" Danny asked when he came into my office later.

Chin was doing some background into the homeowner and Kono was in the main area with Allie, going over the footage for anything that might have been missed. I kind of wished that I had been out there with them so that Danny wouldn't have accosted me.

I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face. "Do you really have to rub that in right now?"

"Absolutely," he answered without any hesitation. "I mean, even _you_ have to admit how cool that was. How did she know that the camera wasn't working? I couldn't see anything different about it."

And maybe that's part of what ticked me off about the whole thing. How _had_ she known about the camera? I was too ashamed to admit that what I'd actually been doing for the last hour was looking into that particular security system to see if there was any way to tell when one of the cameras was out. I argued to myself that it was also just some basic research about the security system that we were dealing with.

"I don't know," I finally said when it had become clear that Danny was really waiting for an answer. "She said it was just a feeling."

"Pretty cool feeling," he said, that smug smile never leaving his face. "I think we should keep her around."

"As you reminded me this morning, I have no choice in that matter. Now, is that all you came in here to say?"

"Oh, no," he said. "I called Kamekona and asked him to notify us if he heard anything about a private collection being moved or fenced. I know that he's not normally in on that kind of thing, but it couldn't hurt. I also talked with the neighbors like you asked me to. None of them saw anything suspicious in the last week, but security cameras at the gates of one of the houses might have caught the car used in the robbery this morning. I sent an HPD officer to pick up the tapes. He should be back within the next half hour."

"Excellent." As of then, it was the only hope for a lead that we had. The house had been devoid of any kind of DNA or prints. "Let me know when it gets here and we'll all look at it together."

Danny gave me a mock salute as he left my office and headed into his own.

I went back to my "research". From what I managed to gather, there was no way to tell from the outside if a camera wasn't working. According to the company that made the system, it could alert possible intruders of a failure and further prompt them to continue with their plans. Which begged the question… how had Allie known that the camera wasn't working? She couldn't possibly know about a flaw in the system that even the creators of the system didn't know.

I was dragged away from further musing when Kono motioned for me to come out to join the rest of them. "We got a plate from a neighbor's security camera. We couldn't see the men's faces, but I traced it back to a car that was reported stolen last night. HPD found it dumped a little over an hour ago and, lucky for us, they got a print." She swiped the large screen in front of her and a driver's license popped up.

"Brandon Miller," Chin said out loud. "He has a record for petty theft and just got out a month ago. We're pulling all known accomplices now."

"Armed robbery and murder is quite an upgrade from petty theft," Allie said.

"That it is," Danny agreed and a small smug smile appeared once more on his face. "Allie, do you, uh, have any _hunches_ or _feelings_ about that?"

"Excuse me?" Allie asked, confused.

I resisted the urge to punch Danny in the face and said, "Let's pull those accomplices. Chin, did you manage to find out how much that art was worth?"

Chin pulled out his small notebook. "According to Dan's insurance agent, the collection was insured for thirty million dollars. Of course, there are always varying opinions about how much a piece of art is worth, but his most notable piece was…" Chin looked closely at the page.

"Let me guess," Allie spoke up. "A Hollis Clayton original from 1943."

"Yeah," Chin said, sounding both impressed and surprised. "How did you-"

The ringing of a cell phone cut him off and Allie quickly pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen before her eyes lit up. "I need to take this." She took a few steps away from us. "Yeah?"

We all stayed quiet and listened to her side of the conversation. "Are you sure? When? Okay. Thank you. I won't forget. Bye."

She came back to the screen and began to speak. "I just got a call from a contact of mine. When was the last time that the policy was adjusted?"

Chin consulted his notes. "Four months ago."

"According to my contact, a Hollis Clayton original was sold quietly to a buyer in Russia. A private collector that seems to be quite the fan of Clayton's early work. There were only three originals by Clayton in 1943, and the other two have been accounted for for years."

"Wait, hold on a minute," Danny said, sounding just as confused as I felt. "Are you saying… you're saying that this guy, this Dan Coulter… he's trying to commit insurance fraud?"

"He was legally required to update his policy after such a big sale. But it was still on the inventory list. So, yes," Allie confirmed. "That would be my first guess."

"I'll look into his financials," Chin said and headed off for his office.

"Good," I said and looked at Kono. "Anything strike you as unusual during your questioning of him?"

"No," she answered me as she thought back. "He was the perfect picture of a grieving husband and father. He blamed himself… I just don't think that he would have had them killed."

Danny spoke up from beside me. "No, maybe not. _But_ … that doesn't mean that he didn't hire someone to rob him. He sells the art in secret, pays them a percentage…"

I finished his thought for him. "He was expecting his wife and daughter to be on the way to the hospital. Maybe the robbers were supposed to arrive a few minutes later or maybe his wife normally left a few minutes earlier…"

"But they were _armed_ ," Allie argued, confusion written all over her face. "Why would they bring guns if it was a simple robbery?"

"You think there's more to it?" Kono asked her.

With a sigh, Allie shrugged. "I don't know. If this _was_ insurance fraud… I think he did a pretty poor job of it."

"Well, he didn't think anyone would know about the painting selling, since it was done quietly." Danny shrugged. "We need to figure out a way to get in touch with the buyer in Russia."

"No," I shook my head. "It's a waste of time. And possibly a dead end, if the sale was as under the radar as it sounds. Let's wait for Chin to come back with the financial data and we'll go from there. In the meantime, let's run down our leads from the vehicle."

Danny and I headed for the door and Kono went to Chin's office to help him, leaving Allie standing at the large screen, frowning down at the data. I wasn't sure what she saw there, but I wasn't going to hang around and wait for her to come up with something.

"She has contacts," Danny said as we descended the stairs. I knew that he had a smug smile on his face, so I didn't look. "That could be very helpful for some of the cases that we work."

"I think she worked with the White Collar unit of the FBI for a few months. She probably made some contacts there. No big deal."

He snorted and followed me outside. "You're just jealous that she came up with a viable scenario before you did."

"I'm not dignifying that with a response."

But there was a very real possibility that he was right.


	3. Lead Us to a Solution

… **..**

 **Thank you all for returning for another chapter of my story! I have so appreciated all of the love and support in the form of favorites, follows, reviews, and even a couple of private messages that I've gotten. Please, keep it coming!**

 **Also, I've had a couple of people ask me how far along I am in catching up on the show… I'm all caught up! Someone else had a suggestion that I wanted some opinions on: Adrian006 said that since I'm planning to update once a week, anyway, that I pick a number and if I get that many reviews before the week is up, I post an extra chapter. I kind of like the idea, but I wanted to see what you guys thought. The number would definitely go up with each chapter, but hopefully I'll get more followers and reviewers with each chapter, too. Let me know what you think, either by PM or review!**

 **As a reminder (though I'm sure you don't need reminding): This story only uses the characters and the premise of Hawaii Five-O. I have taken many liberties, and so some things that you read may be at odds with what you've seen on the show. I apologize, but it was the only way that I could get my story to work out in my head.**

 **Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Three: Lead Us to a Solution_

Steve

We had brought the husband in for questioning, but it had been a bust. After we had left the interrogation room, Danny and I had both agreed that he was telling the truth – he hadn't arranged to have his family murdered, or even to have himself robbed. He hadn't even known that the Hollis Clayton original had been sold; he swore up and down that it had been hanging in his gallery even up until the night before the robbery. And, Chin had researched his financials and found nothing out of the ordinary.

"So, either it was a forgery, or the contact that you spoke with was misinformed," I told Allie the next morning, careful to keep any smugness out of my voice and expression.

She didn't seem bothered by it, but perhaps she was simply gifted at concealing her emotions. It certainly would have paid off in her former jobs. "It's possible, but I doubt it."

"Yeah?" I challenged. "And why's that?"

"Because the source that I contacted is _in_ Russia right now. He spoke with the buyer and saw the piece himself. He's… uniquely talented at recognizing forgeries, and he swore to me that it wasn't a forgery."

"So, you think our guy's was a forgery?" Danny asked her.

"That would be my guess." She nodded and sighed, spreading her hands on the table. "I don't know of any good art forgers on the island. Haven't been here long enough. But I could reach out to some contacts?" She looked at me, waiting for an order. For some reason, that ticked me off even more, even though it was the most respectful thing for her to do.

"Do it," I told her with a nod. At least it would get her out of the room – give me a chance to cool down.

She nodded and moved for her office, closing the door behind her. Within seconds, she was on her cell phone.

"Okay, so we wait for that?" Chin said slowly, and the look on his face told me that I hadn't done a good enough job of concealing my emotions. "Or is there something we can work on in the meantime?"

"We don't have any other leads," I sighed and ran a hand over my hair. "Why don't we all run out to the shrimp truck for lunch and we can bring Allie some back. Hopefully by then, she'll have a name for us."

The rest of the team agreed and we left the office. Of course, as soon as we were in the car, Danny had to bring it up.

"Does it _really_ irk you this much that Allie has contacts that you don't have?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on. What are you talking about?"

He laughed sarcastically. "What am I talking about? I'm talking about that hostile look that you gave our newest team member when she shot down your idea and then suggested that she get in touch with someone that could give us a lead."

"Of course I want a lead. If she can give us that, then great."

"You just wish it wasn't coming from her." As usual, he was pretty spot-on. "How is she ever supposed to prove herself capable if you just get irritated every time that she tries?"

"I'm not having this conversation."

"Right, because that's not proving my point at all." He sighed. "Look, all I'm saying is that it's not easy to be the new cop. Especially on such an elite task force. And it's even _harder_ when your boss doesn't like you."

"I never said I didn't like her!" I sounded defensive, even to me.

"What's that thing that people say?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Actions speak louder than words? You've been giving her the stink eye every single time that she talks. Maybe act a little more supportive, you know?"

I parked in the lot next to the shrimp truck and raised my hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. Fine. I will try to be more _supportive_. You happy?"

His smug smile was back in a millisecond. "I'll be happier when she solves the case all by herself and shows you up."

"Out of the car," I growled, and he laughed as he followed me to the truck.

Back at the office, Allie was typing on the big screen and pulled up the displays as soon as she saw us. "Hey, you're just in time. I may have a lead."

Danny shot me a grin, but I purposefully ignored him. "What do you have?"

She pointed to the screen, where a picture was pulled up. "This is Jason Stark. He's a well-known art forger. And, according to my sources, he's in Hawaii."

"If he's so well-known as a forger, then how is he not in jail?"

"Because he's _very_ good," she answered me, and the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "And he's only well-known among like-minded people. Anyway, I set up a meet with him in an hour."

"What?" I asked her, and I didn't even bother trying to hide my annoyance. "You didn't consult with me first?"

She didn't back down, which I both hated and respected. "No. I don't have your number and you were out to lunch. My contact offered to set up a meet and I had to decide then. I made a call."

"So, we set her up with a wire and see what this guy knows, right?" Danny asked.

It was the most logical call. I just wished that it hadn't been necessary. "Yes. We'll set you up with a wire. And we'll be waiting nearby, just in case."

She laughed as she shrugged. "If that's what you want to do, but don't feel like you need to completely gear up. Stark is a forger and totally not dangerous."

"Better to be safe," I said. "Kono, set her up with a wire. And make sure we all have her number and she has ours."

I wasn't going to be kept out of the loop again.

Allie

"Jason." I smiled at the young man sitting at the table on the patio. The restaurant wasn't crowded, as the lunch rush had likely ended about half an hour ago. He had picked the patio at Uncle Edward's request.

"You must be-"

I cut him off before he could finish. "Allie Rhodes."

His hazel eyes widened in understanding and he nodded as he shook my hand. "It's nice to meet you. Edward said that you had some questions."

"A few." I sat down across from him and took it all in, from his unruly, curly black hair to his Hawaiian flowered shirt. He looked like a tourist. "First time to Hawaii?"

He nodded. "I've been here for about a month, but yes. It's my first time here. I kind of like it."

The waitress came just then to take our order and I got myself a can of sparkling water and an order of grilled chicken. Jason would be paying and I hadn't had lunch, so it seemed fair.

"Edward told me that you had decided to become a cop." Jason smiled at me, secrets dancing in his eyes. Much like I'm sure they were in mine. "I was surprised."

He would be, given my background. "Well, I'm just one of the good guys." A wink and a nod let him know that yes, I was wearing a wire but no, I didn't want him to get arrested.

"Good to know. So, what can I do for you?"

"Do you know a man named Dan Coulter?"

The waitress returned with our drinks and we thanked her. He made sure she was gone before he spoke again. "The name sounds familiar. Who is he?"

"A private art collector."

"Ah." I saw the moment that realization sparked in his eyes. "I _have_ heard the name before." Leaning closer, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Is all of this on the DL?"

I had gotten permission from Steve to grant him full immunity, provided that he wasn't responsible for the robbery or murder, so I nodded. "Full immunity."

"Wow." He laughed in surprise. "Not often that you get _that_ offer from the law."

"No," I agreed with him. "It's not. So, how do you know Dan Coulter?"

Resting his arms on the table, he began his tale in a low voice. "A month and a half ago, I got a call. A friend of a friend of a friend kind of thing. A guy I know knew of a guy that needed a forger. Specifically, a forger specializing in paintings. As you obviously know already, that's my specialty."

"I've heard rumors." I did my best to keep the sarcasm out of my voice, but his smile told me that he caught it.

"Anyway, at first, I didn't want to take the job. For one thing, it required me to travel to Hawaii, and I typically like for people to come to me."

"Did you ask why they couldn't come to you?"

"Of course I did. The guy that wanted the job done said that the painting couldn't be moved. He wouldn't go into any further detail, so I just figured that he was nervous about traveling with it by air. Understandable, really. You don't want to taint an original with non-private air travel, and that can get expensive."

"Any other reason that you didn't want the job?" I asked and reached for my water.

He shrugged. "I just didn't really need it. I'd just pulled a job about a month before that had set me up pretty well for the rest of the year."

That was understandable. A lot of forgers did that because they were afraid that they would get burnt out from all of the work and start making mistakes. And with the amount that a good forger could get paid per job, they really only needed to work a few per year.

"So, what made you decide to take the job?" I asked him, just as the waitress returned with our meals. Once we had assured her that we had everything we needed, she left.

"He offered me _five hundred thousand_ dollars."

I choked on the piece of chicken I'd been swallowing. Once I could finally breathe again, I asked, " _What_?"

"I know," he assured me. "I couldn't really believe it, either. But he wired the first half of it to me beforehand and it cleared no problem. Guy even bought my first class plane ticket to Hawaii and set me up in a nice suite at the Hilton. I don't know his name or anything, though. He was careful to never let me learn too much and I didn't ask questions. I only heard the name Dan Coulter in passing."

"Hard to turn down," I said. "Okay, so you decided to take the job. What happened then?"

"I packed and came out to Hawaii. He said that I needed to get started right away. I got all set up in my hotel room, supplies were brought to me, and then the painting came in a few days later."

"What painting?" I was practically holding my breath, waiting for the answer.

"Yeah, get this." He leaned closer, even though there was no one nearby. "It was a Hollis Clayton original from 1943."

 _Bingo._ "Hollis Clayton. He was a native of Hawaii, wasn't he?" I knew the answer, but it never hurt to let the informant feel like he was more knowledgeable than you.

"Yeah. Came from a poor family here on the island. His paintings began to sell pretty well in the late thirties and early forties, and after Pearl Harbor, he was one of the most sought-after artists in the world for a short period of time. But, he typically only produced three to four paintings a year up until his death in '52."

"So, an original from him is worth…"

Jason swallowed a bite of his fish. "Easily worth millions of dollars. Especially because his earliest paintings were stolen by the Japanese and burned. I think that's why he became so popular in the first place. The earliest of his paintings that are still intact are-"

I finished for him as the wheels began to turn in my head. "Let me guess. The ones from 1943."

He nodded. "The war didn't end until '45, but Clayton got smart and began to hide his works in '43, just in case the Japanese ever raided again."

"So those first three paintings from his earliest years would be worth much more."

"Like I said, millions of dollars. Easily twenty to thirty million."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "For just that one painting?"

"Hey, I don't make the price tags. But, yeah."

We were getting off track, so I made a mental note to come back to that later. "Okay, so you forged the painting. How long did that take?"

"Well, I'm sure that you're somewhat aware of all of the things that one has to do in order to forge a painting that's over seventy years old."

"You have to age it, for one," I answered, absentmindedly pushing the broccoli around on my plate. "That takes time."

"And equipment."

"You baked it."

He nodded. "Not in anyone's house, though. I asked for a very specific type of oven and he provided it in a warehouse on Sand Island. I don't think it's still there, though."

"Do you remember the type of oven?"

He scoffed at me, offended. "Of course I do."

I smiled at him. "I didn't mean any offense."

"I know you didn't. It was a Whirlpool Smooth Surface Freestanding 5-Element 5.4 cubic feet Self-Cleaning Electric Range. EasyCare Stainless Steel, if that matters."

I nodded and hoped that the team had gotten all of that. They could use it to look up sales of that particular oven. Maybe they'd get lucky and the guy had paid for it with a credit card. "How long did the whole process take?"

"Maybe about a week and a half. But…" He sighed, his face full of disappointment. "There was one color that I couldn't get _quite_ right. In the bottom left corner. Paints were different back then and no matter how much I mixed, it never looked quite right to me. But the guy that hired me said that it didn't matter. He said no one would be able to tell the difference."

Because Dan Coulter collected art as a _hobby_. It wasn't his whole life. Whoever had switched out the paintings knew that and had used it to his advantage. No telling how much he had sold the painting for, and Dan Coulter was none the wiser.

But why the robbery?

"Did he say anything else about his plans?" I asked him. "What he was going to do with the painting? Who he was selling it to? Anything?"

"No, and I didn't ask. I usually don't."

"I understand," I sighed, and popped the last of my chicken into my mouth. And I did understand; it just would have been a lot more helpful it he had. "I guess that's it… unless you can draw me a sketch of this guy?"

He laughed outright. "I'm an _art forger_ , sweetheart. I can sketch anyone you want. But let me get back to my hotel room, okay? I want to do it right."

Of course he would. I smiled at him. "No problem. Let me write down my e-mail for you and you can send it in to me."

He handed over a small notebook and a pen, and I carefully wrote out my name, phone number, and e-mail address. When he took it back, he said, "I'll head back to the hotel right away and draw you up a sketch. You're lucky you caught me today, you know. I'm headed away from the island tomorrow morning."

"I'm glad that luck was on my side, then." I finished my sparkling water and stood. "You've got lunch, right? I mean, you _did_ just get paid five hundred thousand dollars."

With a laugh, he nodded and waved me away. "Go, go. I'll get this. And good luck with your investigation."

"Safe flight," I returned and headed away. The team was probably already headed back to headquarters, and I had agreed to meet them there once I was done talking to Jason. It was a short drive, and we were all standing together in the main area within ten minutes.

"Chin and Kono, you two begin working on finding all sales of that particular oven on the island. Danny, you and I are going to begin going over that inventory list that the insurance company sent over. I want to compare it to the one that Dan Coulter gave us, because something isn't adding up."

 _Exactly what I was thinking_ , I thought, and called out to Steve as he began to head to his office. "Hey, boss. What do you want me to do?" Surely, I could be most helpful working with him and Danny.

"You're waiting for an e-mail from Jason," he told me, and then went into his office with Danny close behind.

"Oh, of course," I muttered angrily as I ambled into my own office. "I'll just sit here and make myself useful by waiting for a freaking _e-mail_."

But that's not all I did. I also did some research on Hollis Clayton, and found that everything Jason had told me had been true. He'd only sold his paintings locally, and the Japanese had stolen a lot of art when small teams came in to raid as Pearl Harbor was bombed. That made the '43 paintings worth _a lot_ of money.

Which meant that something was off about the insurance policy. The policy stated that his _entire_ collection was worth thirty million, but thirty million could have easily been the price of that one painting. With all of the other art that he also owned, the price should have been more like forty or fifty million.

Something was off, and I started by looking into the insurance agent that handled Dan Coulter's account.

His name was Antoine Staggler, and he didn't have a criminal record, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. He _did_ have a degree in art history, though, which was why the insurance company had put him in charge of all art-related policies. He ran the department, which meant that there was no one looking over his shoulder to make sure that he priced things correctly. It wasn't that hard to forge the report stating how much each art piece was worth. No one would question him.

When my phone pinged with an e-mail, I opened it up immediately.

 _Hope this sketch helped. Enjoyed our lunch today. Aloha._

 _-J_

I clicked on the file attached to the e-mail, and my heart was pounding as it loaded. When it finished, my breath caught in my throat. It was almost an _exact_ replica of the photo of Antoine on the insurance company's website.

So, it really _had_ been a case of insurance fraud, just not the typical kind.

I ran out of my office and into Steve's, practically shoving the phone into his face in my excitement. "It _was_ insurance fraud, but not on Dan Coulter's end. This is the sketch that Jason Stark just sent over."

"That's Dan's insurance agent," Steve said, eyes widening in recognition.

I nodded. "He changed the report that he was required to have on file that stated how much the pieces were worth. My guess is that there are actually two copies of the report and the real one is worth much more than just thirty million."

"So, he planned to sell the original painting for its full thirty million, and then siphon off of the insurance money when it was paid out?" Danny asked.

"We may have him on forging the painting," Steve agreed, "but where's the proof that he's planning to take money from the insurance payout?"

"All we have to do is look at his files," I explained. "There will be two reports, one for the thirty million that matches Dan Coulter's report, and one that's closer to forty or fifty million."

"I'll call the governor and see if we can get a rush warrant for those files," Steve said.

Danny scoffed. "Since when do you wait around for a warrant?"

With a shrug and a small smile, Steve stood. "You're right; I don't. Let's go. Grab Chin and Kono."


	4. Mystery Dominoes

…

 **And another chapter is… up! I really appreciate the support that I've gotten so far in the form of private messages, reviews, favorites, and follows. You'll never know how much each and every single one of those things means to me. I love getting the e-mails telling me that someone is showing their interest in my story. I honestly never expected to get more than a few hits since I'm so new to the Hawaii Five-0 universe, but this has all been really great. Thank you all so much.**

 **I hope that you enjoy the newest chapter!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Four: Mystery Dominoes_

Steve

I really couldn't explain my actions to myself, but I ignored the part of me that told me to put the truck in reverse and drive home. I wasn't really the _wait around_ type, and I wanted some answers. No, I didn't know if I would actually get any from this visit, but that wasn't going to stop me.

After a deep breath, I got out of the truck and headed for the door of Allie Rhodes' house. It was actually just down the street from mine, which I thought would be convenient if I ever needed to do surveillance on her. It was a recent addition, as the old house had burned down and they had completely rebuilt it. As a result, one could argue that she had the nicest house on the block.

I tried not to let that irk me.

At the door, I knocked. Almost immediately, there was a bark from inside. It sounded like a big dog. Instinctively, my hand moved towards the holster on my hip. Best to be prepared, just in case. Any dog could get aggressive if it felt like you had no right to be on its territory.

The door opened about twenty seconds after I had knocked and there stood Allie, her dark hair damp from a shower. She was dressed in long plaid pajama pants and a black tank that showed off the subtle muscle in her arms. Even without makeup, her blue eyes were bright.

"Commander McGarrett." She sounded only slightly surprised to see me, which led me to believe that she had a security system that had alerted her to my arrival. I had only spotted one camera on the way in, but it had looked pretty high tech.

"Officer Rhodes," I greeted. "Do you have a minute?"

"Allie," she corrected me and stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. "Of course. Come in."

"You can call me Steve," I said and stepped over the threshold, my eyes automatically doing a quick sweep of the room. It was modestly decorated and didn't exactly scream "feminine style". It was simple and could have appealed to almost anyone's taste. It almost looked like it had been staged for her. "Nice house."

"Thank you." She stepped around me after closing the door. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, thanks."

"Okay. Gideon!"

A large German Shepherd trotted into the room and I could have sworn that his eyes narrowed when he saw me.

"It's okay," Allie told him and pointed to a dog bed that sat in the corner of the living room. "Go lay down."

He did so without hesitation, leading me to believe that he had been professionally trained. "Did you train him yourself?"

"With a little help," she said and motioned towards the leather couch, loveseat, and recliner in the living room. "Have a seat."

"Thanks." I chose the loveseat because it allowed me to keep both Allie and the dog in my line of sight. She chose the recliner next to the dog bed. "I had a few things that I wanted to talk to you about. I hope it's okay that I dropped by; I got your address from your personnel file."

"Yeah, that's fine." She certainly _seemed_ like she didn't mind, but I had a feeling that she was very adept at controlling her emotions. "Is there another case?"

"No, not yet." I actually felt myself smile. "We just wrapped the last one up today, so I hope we at least get the night off."

She returned my smile. "Well, I've heard that Five-O is pretty busy, so I won't hold my breath. And I don't mind the crazy schedule. It's just me a Gideon." She smiled down at the dog for a moment. "And he can pretty well take care of himself. I'm good to work as much as you need me to."

"You did good with your first case. Really good." I had told myself that swallowing my pride and getting close to her would be the best way to get her to open up. No matter how much it wounded my ego. "I know that I probably wasn't the most… welcoming. I wanted to apologize for that."

Her eyes widened only slightly in surprise. "Hey, I get it. You were supposed to get to hand pick every single member of your team and the governor threw me on there without consulting you. I just hope that over time, I can prove myself. I think I have a lot to offer."

"You proved that pretty well with this case." And she had. She obviously had some contacts that could be useful. "It just takes me a while to get comfortable with someone. Don't take it personally."

She smiled, but it seemed to be without humor. "I'm not the _take it personally_ kind of girl, trust me. It won't be a problem."

"Good." At least (if what she said was true) I wouldn't have to worry about having a drama queen on board. "So, why _did_ the government decide to put you on the team?"

She shrugged and, if she knew anything, she was hiding it rather well. She was good. "I don't know. Maybe he just thought that I had some skills you guys could use. I've worked a lot of different jobs – translator, bomb squad, White Collar to name a few."

"And the CIA, as I understand it."

There was no look of shock on her face, as I had been expecting. Instead, she simply nodded, not bothering to deny it. "Yes, and the CIA. I take it you've looked into me?"

I kept eye contact with her. "I wanted to know who was going to be joining my team." But I didn't tell her that I had asked others to look into her as well. It hadn't mattered, anyway, as they hadn't been able to find any more than I had.

"Understandable." Amazing. She wasn't upset at all.

"So, what did you do for the CIA?"

"That's classified."

I felt a wry smile tug at my lips. "That's usually my line."

She chuckled. "You don't mind if we share it, do you?"

"It'll take some getting used to." Not that I planned to just sit around and get used to it. I would get my information, one way or another. This girl was one curveball after another. A set of mystery dominoes – when one fell, it only rammed into another mystery.

"I'm confident you can adjust," she assured me and stood, moving for the kitchen. "Navy SEALs are famous for it."

I stood to follow her around the corner. I didn't plan to let her out of my sight as long as I was there. "So, I'm not the only one that's done some research."

"Nope." That was it. No further explanation.

 _This is going to be much harder than I thought._ That really shouldn't have surprised me, though. "What did you find?" I leaned my shoulder against the wall, crossing my arms as I watched her take a pitcher of blue fluid out of the refrigerator.

She glanced at me with a small, almost teasing smile. "What do you _think_ I found?"

"That's not an answer."

She laughed, even though I didn't see any humor in the situation. As she took a glass down from one of the cabinets, she said, "I only looked into the basics. You were a SEAL, you worked for Naval Intelligence, and now you're in the Navy Reserves while you head up this task force. That's all I cared to know."

But was there a possibility that she had access to my missions? Surely not, as they were highly classified… but, then again, _her_ files were even more classified than mine were. Perhaps she had access…

"What is that?" I asked her, pointing at the pitcher as she put it back into her very organized refrigerator.

"Blue raspberry lemonade." She smiled almost guiltily as she picked up her glass. "I'm a sucker for it. Do you want me to pour you some?"

She was expecting me to say no because I had declined a drink before. So I said, "Yes, please."

There was no surprise in her expression, which irritated me for unknown reasons. "Okay. Ice?"

"Yes, thank you."

She got me a glass and then motioned for the table that stood in the dining area just off the kitchen. "We can sit there. I'm sure you still have some questions."

There was no sense in pretending that I wasn't investigating her; I'd already given that away. At least she seemed to be taking it well. I took the chair closest to the doorway to the living room and she sat directly across from me, nursing her sweating glass. Waiting.

But more than just knowing what careers she'd had, I wanted to get inside her head. That's how you _really_ got to know someone. "Which career did you enjoy the most?"

 _That_ put an expression of surprise on her face, and I was almost proud of myself for it. Which was ridiculous, as I had yet to get anything good out of her. "Um… I don't know, actually. I can't say that I enjoyed one more than the other. They were all interesting."

"And they were all relatively short stints," I said. "You don't seem to stay in one job for very long at a time. Why is that? Do you just like the travel?"

She shrugged. "I like learning new things. I like to perfect new skills. But, yeah, the travel is pretty nice."

"How long do you plan to stay with Five-O?"

"As long as I feel I'm needed, I guess." She took a long drink. "I do like the team, though. And you seem to do a really good job leading them. They clearly respect and look up to you."

"A good leader _earns_ that," I told her. "Look, Danny, Chin, and Kono all _earned_ their place on the team and they've _earned_ my trust and respect. That's how things work for me."

"I get it." She didn't seem upset. "I know that I have to earn your trust and respect. And I plan to do that. I'm hoping that I can prove myself worthy."

"Me too." The blue raspberry lemonade was actually very tasty. Just the right mix of sweet and sour. "Is this homemade?"

She laughed, almost choking on her own drink. "No, no. It's Kool-Aid. After years and years of making it, I've discovered the twists that take it to the next level. So, I guess you could say it's a mix of the package and some ingenuity."

I nodded my approval and finished off my glass. "Well, it's delicious. Well done."

"Thank you."

I stood and moved for the sink. "Do you just rinse them out and put them in the dishwasher?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I can take care of it."

"No, it's no trouble." I dumped the ice and began to rinse out the glass. When I was done, I looked over to her and raised an eyebrow. "Dishwasher?"

"Sure. Thank you."

The dishwasher was about half full and I quickly found a place for my glass on the top rack. After I was done, I turned to her and smiled politely. "I think I've taken up enough of your evening." Not that it looked like she had been up to anything else.

"I'll walk you out." Leaving her glass on the table, she stood and trailed behind me to the front door. Once there, she said, "Drop by anytime. But maybe make sure that I'm home first. Gideon can be… protective."

"Sounds like he's a pretty good security system." I was really fishing for details about her _actual_ security system.

She didn't bite. "He is. Good night, Commander."

"Steve," I corrected her.

She smiled. "Right. Steve."

"Good night," I told her, and then I was out the door and heading to my truck. I hadn't learned much, but I hadn't expected it to be easy. _Hoped_ , yes, but not expected. But at least I had plenty of time and opportunities to figure her out.

I wouldn't be playing mystery dominoes for long.

Allie

Gideon was staring at me when I turned around after closing the door. He had moved silently to stand behind me, likely because he wasn't comfortable with Steve yet.

"I didn't say that you could get up," I told him, but it was not really a reprimand. He knew that; he'd just been concerned for me.

He tilted his head to the side as if to say, _You want to explain what that was all about_?

I sighed and moved for the kitchen to finish my drink. "It's totally normal for a boss to come to his new employee's house and ask her about her time with the CIA, right?"

Gideon huffed out a breath that somehow sounded sarcastic.

I picked up my glass and slowly twirled it in my hand. "Yeah, I didn't think so. But I can't blame him for being curious about me. Especially because he likely didn't find much when he looked me up. A locked file is always suspicious. That's why Pandora opened the box, right?"

Gideon didn't respond – because dogs frequently don't – and I finished my drink before stashing the glass in the dishwasher. "What do you think, buddy? Time for bed?"

He barked his approval and I opened the door to let him out before going upstairs to wash my face and brush my teeth. After I let him back in, he ran up the stairs and straight to his fancy dog bed that sat in the corner of the room. Once upon a time, he had slept in my bed, but that was before I realized what a crazy sleeper he could be.

"Good night, buddy," I told him, but thoughts of Steve McGarrett kept me awake long after I expressed the sentiment.

The next morning, I was up at five and Gideon and I went for our morning run. Afterwards, I gave him his breakfast and went upstairs to take a quick shower while he ate. Once again, he was no help at picking an outfit, but I was finally able to decide on a pair of jeans, a burgundy tee, and a pair of fashion sneakers. My hair went up into a ponytail with a section braided back. I preferred to keep my hair up when working.

"Good to go?" I asked Gideon as he followed me down the stairs.

He seemed fine, so I grabbed a microwaved breakfast sandwich for me as well as a travel mug of lemonade, and then I headed for work.

Steve and Danny were already in, but Chin and Kono were not. Five-O seemed to be one of the most relaxed workplaces in the world, which Kono had said herself on my first day. Steve always called or sent a text when there was a case but, other than that, there was no specified start time. And, apparently, Steve was pretty generous with vacation days.

There was no time card to punch, as we were all salaried employees, so there was a steady check without a required number of hours. It actually wasn't a bad gig – much better than bomb squad, where the paperwork had always been an incredible hassle.

I went straight to my office to stay out of Steve's way, but he came into my office about twenty minutes later, anyway. "Hey, we have a case. Let's go. Chin and Kono are already at the scene."

Nodding, I followed him and Danny out the door and down the stairs as he quickly filled us in. "There was a body dumped in an abandoned warehouse. A squatter found it. Kono said the remains are pretty mutilated."

 _Just the way that I wanted to start my day_. But, that was the job. I jumped in my Camaro and followed Steve as he drove himself and Danny to the crime scene, which looked about as shady as crime scenes could come.

Max was already inside, examining the body of what looked similar to a man. But it had been so mutilated that I was surprised that he could see anything.

"God," Danny groaned as he pulled on some latex gloves. "That is one sick bastard right there. Find anything, Max?"

The medical examiner didn't even look up as he began to speak. "Obviously, this was quite a hack job. I'm going to have to take him back to my office and do an autopsy to find much. What I _can_ tell you is that the cause of death seems to be blood loss and the victim's fingerprints have been burned off."

"Well, that's no good for identification," Steve sighed. "Let us know what you find, Max."

The man nodded and called for a couple of people to help him load the body into a bag and then onto a stretcher. I didn't envy him the job that he had ahead of him. It was a good thing that I'd never had a desire to be a doctor; I would have been terrible at it.

Chin and Kono approached from another area of the warehouse and Chin spoke. "We talked with the squatter that discovered the body. He said that the door was unlocked, so he let himself in to get some shade and rest for a while. The body was just lying here, in the middle of the floor, and he ran out to call the police. So far, we haven't found any evidence here."

"There's not much to do until we have an ID, then, providing that Max can get us one. Let's head back to the office and start looking into recent missing person reports."

That sounded like as good a place to start as any.

As we were heading to our cars, Steve called out to Danny and tossed him the keys. "I'm going to ride with Allie back to HQ."

Danny looked just as surprised as I felt, but I hid my expressions much better.

Steve slid into the passenger seat, we both buckled up, and then I started the engine.

"Here Comes the Sun," Steve said of the song that began to play. He looked at the display. "A CD?"

I shrugged. "I like the Beatles. Do you need to make a stop first?"

"No. But you do know that the Stones were a much better band than the Beatles, right?"

I couldn't help but scoff at that. "You're delusional. The Beatles were _much_ better. Better songs, better music… just better."

"The Rolling Stones were _way_ more iconic than The Beatles," he argued.

"You know, I actually read an article recently about a survey that was done among both men _and_ women. The Beatles won across both genders. Their music appeals to a broader audience."

"Appealing to a broader audience doesn't make them _better_ ," he said, voice rising slightly. "And where did you read that? I want sources."

So, I gave him the source and he immediately looked it up on his cell phone. I saw his face fall slightly when he read the results.

"That still doesn't make them better," he said once he had finished the article.

"Their albums have sold better across these last fifty years," I told him. "That doesn't make them better?"

"Better is subjective," he growled, and crossed his arms. I could have sworn that he was pouting like a child.

"You don't like losing, do you?"

"I'm not losing anything!" Defensiveness rang out in every syllable.

I couldn't fight the smile that spread across my face. "Sure, you're not. But there's no more time to argue because here we are." I parked in the parking lot of headquarters and smiled over at him. "Unless you want to sit here and continue to argue instead of working the case?"

If looks could kill… "Let's go inside." He got out of the car and shut the door just a little harder than was necessary. It was all I could do not to laugh.

"We think we found something," Kono said as soon as we entered. "We found a missing persons case filed two days ago and Max said that the description sounds spot-on."

Steve turned on his heel. "Let's go."


	5. A Wealth of Secrets

… **..**

 **So, my goal was to get six reviews on the previous chapter as well as twenty follows and... I did! You all have been so amazing! Thank you so much! As a reward, here is another chapter!**

 **This chapter was harder to write than the previous four, for reasons unknown. I hope that it doesn't drag the story down.**

 **As always, I wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. (And also to those of you that have favorited or followed me!) I really appreciate each and every show of support that I have been given. Keep it up, please!**

 **One more thing: Just a reminder (I'm going to give one every few chapters) that this story is very loosely based on the show. I mostly just used the characters and the premise.**

 **Enjoy this newest chapter!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Five: A Wealth of Secrets_

Steve

The murderer was running through Chinatown, weaving among the shoppers. I was in pursuit and I could see Danny out of the corner of my eye, running right behind me. Allie had been with us when Luis had started to run, but it didn't seem like she was anywhere around now. Perhaps she had taken it upon herself to call Chin and Kono and let them know where we were, just in case they were close and could provide some backup. No doubt, Luis was armed.

He was also fast and agile, easily dodging the obstacles that popped up along the way. He was no match for me, though, and I knew that I was gaining on him, steadily leaving Danny behind. Danny was in shape, but he was no Navy SEAL. He worked out, just not every single day like I did. And I was convinced that if he tried to keep up with my workout routine, he'd go into cardiac arrest. It took _years_ to build up to a routine like I had.

Luis was running right along when suddenly, a blur took him out and they went rolling.

Allie popped onto her feet first, but Luis was close behind, and he took out the gun from the waistband of his jeans. I took out my gun and aimed, but as quick as a flash, Allie kicked his wrist so hard that the gun went flying out of his hand, spiraling towards me.

I picked it up, flipped the safety on, and then looked up to see Luis take a swing at her. She dodged it easily and on his next swing, caught his arm right below the elbow. She then brought her other elbow down to hit his bicep. Luis' scream told me that it hadn't felt nice.

In a series of fluid motions, Allie swung his arm and flipped him over so that he landed on his back, the wind knocked out of him completely. He was still gasping for breath when Danny and I approached, each of us a little surprised. It was the first time that we had seen her in action.

"Hey, guys," Allie smiled at us when we stopped on the other side of a gasping Luis. It didn't look like she even had a hair out of place. "What took you so long?"

"Ha!" Danny said, sounding like he was still slightly out of breath. "How in the world did you catch him?"

"I used the alley. No people back there. Clear path." She shrugged. "Want me to cuff him?"

"Not yet." I leaned down and grabbed the wrist that Allie had kicked. Luis started to cry out in pain, but I stepped on his throat, applying just enough pressure to mess with his breathing. "Don't even think about it," I warned him. "Where is the flash drive that you stole from Nick Harris?"

Luis' dark brown eyes were shooting daggers at me. "I don't know what you're talking about," he managed to get out.

I pressed harder with my foot and twisted his wrist a little more. Tears of pain sprang to his eyes and he grit his teeth. "No?" I asked. "Let me ask again. Where is the flash drive that you stole from Nick Harris?"

After a few moments and a little more twisting, he finally ground out, "Okay, okay!"

I released the pressure. "Talk."

"I stashed it at work in an empty locker. The second one from the end on the right. I was going to pick it up today."

I looked over my shoulder and addressed Danny. "Tell Chin and Kono."

"Got it," he nodded and took out his phone.

Looking back down at Luis, I asked, "Was the information on it worth _mutilating_ him for?"

There wasn't even a flash of regret in his eyes. "It _would have been_ , if you hadn't caught me before I could use the blueprints."

Disgust filled me and I stepped away. "Cuff him, Rhodes."

Allie did so, none too gently. He started to say something about police brutality, but she said something quietly into his ear that shut him up instantly. Once backup had arrived and Luis had been placed into the back of a patrol car, I asked her what she'd said to him.

She shrugged, face blank. "I told him that we aren't the police." She smiled. "We're Five-O."

I didn't bother to fight my own smile and, in fact, held out my hand for a high-five. She seemed mildly surprised, but returned it.

"Good work today," I told her. "Danny and I are probably going to head to Kamekona's for dinner. You in?"

"Dinner at the beach," she mused and then smiled. "I'm in."

"Awesome. See you there in about an hour. I'm going to shower up and then head that way. I could actually pick you up, if you want. You live on my street."

I looked for any clue that she had known that already, but all that I saw on her face was surprise. I just didn't know if it was real or not. "Okay. Sounds good. I'll go change out of this." She gestured down to a tear in her shirt from the scuffle.

"See you in a bit."

She waved and headed away, her stride strong and confident.

Danny joined me moments later. "Hey, are we headed to Kamekona's?"

"Yeah," I said, and we began walking towards the Camaro. "But I told Allie that I'd pick her up and drive her there. I'm going to stop by my place and shower first and she lives a few houses down."

"Well, you failed to mention _that_ ," he said. "And since when do you care how you smell?"

"I figure the more time I spend with her, the more at ease I'll feel with having her on the team."

He opened his door but paused and stared hard at me. "No, that's not it."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean _that's not it_?"

"That's not it," he repeated. "There's something else going on here."

I shrugged and slid into the car. "Whatever you say. You need a ride back to HQ?"

Something caught his eye and he shook his head. "Nah. Chin and Kono are here with the flash drive. I'll go back to HQ with them and we'll meet you and Allie and Kamekona's. You know, since you have to shower and everything." He obviously still didn't buy it.

Smart man.

"Suit yourself."

Once home, I showered very quickly and then changed into jeans and a soft gray tee. Then, I headed over to Allie's house. Maybe, if she wasn't done getting ready yet, I'd have a chance to look around a little bit. I doubted I would find much, but _anything_ was better than nothing.

I knocked on the door and heard Gideon bark once. A minute later, Allie opened the door, looking like she'd just gotten out of the shower mere minutes before. Her shorts showed more of her long, lean legs than I had ever seen and the tank that she wore was white with a black feathered pattern. In one hand she held a towel that she was using to dry her hair.

"Hey." She was surprised, but only mildly. Maybe her security system beeped when a vehicle pulled into the driveway. "You're early."

I looked down at my watch and acted surprised. "Oh, sorry. I guess I finished my shower faster than I thought."

She didn't look like she bought it, but she also didn't look irritated. "Because you still take a Navy shower, no doubt. Come on in. I'll only be a few more minutes."

 _Perfect_. "Thank you."

I stepped inside and was greeted by Gideon, who sat in the entryway staring at me. It was like he knew what I was up to.

"Gideon," Allie said as she passed me and headed for the stairs. And then she said something in a language that sounded similar to German. I didn't understand what she had said, but Gideon seemed to. His ears perked up and he continued to stare at me.

Before I could ask her what she'd said, she smiled at me and then continued her route up the stairs. "I'll be down in five. Promise."

"No rush," I called after her and then moved for the room off to the side that looked like a library or office of sorts. It looked like a good place to stash top secret things.

Unfortunately, Gideon darted into my path and stood in the open doorway, growling low in his throat.

I raised both of my hands in surrender as if he had a gun pointed at my chest and stepped away slowly. "Okay, okay." I was pretty sure that Allie had been telling him to watch me. And, obviously, he had embraced the task wholeheartedly.

I had no choice but to sit on the couch and mess around on my phone for the few minutes that she was upstairs getting ready. Gideon laid in his dog bed in the corner by the recliner, watching me the entire time. It almost made me wish that I had one like him.

When Allie came down, I was almost blown away by how different she looked. Her dark hair was still kind of damp, but she had put some product in it to make it very wavy. She had also applied eye makeup, which she didn't normally wear at the office. It made her blue eyes stand out even more, which I had thought was impossible. The only other change was the strappy black sandals on her feet.

"Hey," I said, standing as she stepped onto the ground floor. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely." I watched her grab a small black purse off of the small end table by the couch and slip it onto her shoulder. Then, we walked out of the house and to my truck together.

Her light, citrus perfume filled the space in a matter of seconds, and I found that I actually rather liked the scent.

I cleared my throat as I started the engine. "To Kamekona's."

"Here we go," she agreed and we were off.

Allie

I'd told Gideon to watch Steve closely because I knew that he wanted to find out as much about me as possible. The most likely scenario was that he'd been early because he had been hoping for a chance to snoop around. Not to harm me, but for information. Still, I couldn't have him snooping in my private business. And, unfortunately for him, Gideon was very well-trained and would have used force to keep Steve in the living room or kitchen, if necessary.

But it hadn't been, because Steve was smart enough not to provoke him. As if he would have been able to find anything in the library anyway. I kept my private things much better hidden. But he didn't need to know that. Let him think there were top secret things in the library. It would keep him further away from my actual hiding places.

"You handled yourself really well out there today," he told me a couple of minutes into the drive. "You've obviously been trained in martial arts."

"CIA requirement." Okay, so, _yes…_ I was name dropping the CIA just to make him think about just how little he knew about me. I knew it would annoy him. I also knew that it was petty, but I couldn't help it. I mean, the guy had just tried to snoop in my library.

"Ah," he nodded. "Right. Is there a particular kind that you were trained in or did they do a generic martial arts class at The Farm?"

"Everything that they do at The Farm is classified. You understand, of course. But, no, I learned my martial arts before my training at The Farm."

"What kind?" He was obviously not planning to give it up.

"All kinds. I travelled a lot as a kid, so I was exposed to many different styles of fighting."

"Did your parents encourage that? You learning how to defend yourself?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "My mother wasn't around much, but she did support it. My father… not so much. He was always too protective. Most of the time, I had to sneak around to train." Talking about it brought back memories that I fought against.

"Aren't fathers typically overprotective of their daughters?" I felt him glance over at me.

"He didn't need to be."

"Why?" Steve asked, and there was a hint of teasing in his tone. "Because you could take care of yourself, even as a little girl?"

 _I wasn't a normal little girl_. "I did okay for myself," I said, and I made sure that my tone indicated that I was done talking about my father. He could read into that however he wanted.

He dropped it, thankfully. "Are you getting used to the island?"

"I can find my way around pretty well now." Hawaii was a safe subject. It had never been anything to me before now. "But I still use the GPS most of the time, just in case. I think it'll take me a while to be an expert. What about you?"

"Well, I've been here working for a few years now, but I lived here when I was younger. Grew up here. So, I already know my way around pretty well."

I had actually known that, but it was best to let him think that I didn't. Maybe if he thought I didn't know all that much about him, he'd stop looking into me. Doubtful, but worth a shot. "Lucky you. Growing up here, I mean. It must have been nice."

"I liked it," he agreed. "I left for the academy in California when I was sixteen and I missed this place the entire time."

"But the academy paid off," I pointed out. "You became a highly decorated soldier."

"Yeah." He said the word softly, his eyes on the road but also somewhere far away. "I would have gone into the military anyway. My grandfather went down with the USS Arizona during Pearl Harbor and my father served for a bit before he came back here to work as a detective. It's in my blood."

"That's commendable."

"Thanks." But he still seemed like he was somewhere far away. Probably thinking about his dad, whom I knew had died right before Steve had moved back to Hawaii.

I looked out the window and let him have a few quiet moments.

Lord knew I needed them.

We arrived at Kamekona's and found Chin, Kono, and Danny already waiting there, along with a little girl that I didn't know.

"Allie, this is my daughter, Grace," Danny told me. "Grace, this is Officer Rhodes. She's the newest member of Five-O."

"Hi," the girl said shyly.

I put on my warmest smile for her and knelt down next to her, holding out a hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Grace."

Smiling shyly, she shook my hand. "You too, Officer Rhodes."

"Allie," I corrected her and stood. "Can I sit here?"

She nodded and I sat down next to her as Kamekona came out to see what we all wanted. He didn't normally come out to take the customer's orders, but he made exceptions for Five-O. According to Kono, Five-O was like family to Kamekona, even though he was actually a reformed (supposedly) criminal.

Grace slowly began to open up to me and before long, it was like we'd been best friends for years. She talked to me about her bunny and her dog, and also about her friends from school. She was actually a very sweet little girl, and very cute, though she didn't have much in common with Danny, whom she referred to as "Danno".

"Did you get that from Steve or did Steve get that from you?" I asked her.

"No, don't answer that," Danny said, but it was too late.

Grace laughed. "Uncle Steve got it from me. When I was little and tried to say his name, all I could say was Danno. It kind of stuck around."

Everyone at the table laughed and I suddenly realized that it was the first time that I had been out with a group of people without that familiar paranoia to dampen the mood.

I kind of liked it.

"Grace is a sweet girl," I told Steve as we were headed back to our houses.

He smiled fondly. "Yeah, she is. Started calling me Uncle Steve all on her own. I never really liked kids before, but I made an exception for her."

"I can see why." It was sweet, really. He had truly seemed like an uncle to her. "I'm not big on kids myself, but she was okay."

"She grows on you," he assured me.

I laughed. "I don't doubt that."

He pulled into my driveway and parked with a sigh. "Thanks for coming out with us tonight. Getting to know you has been nice."

"But you want to know more, don't you?" The raw honesty surprised me just as much as it did him.

It took him almost a full minute, but he finally answered. "I told you… in my world, trust is earned. It's going to take a while. You assured me that you wouldn't take it personally."

"It's not that." My smile was sad. "But do you really think you're earning my trust by trying to spy on me?"

His eyes were unyielding. "I guess there's just going to be a bit of mistrust between us for a while, then."

I nodded my understanding. He didn't intend to stop digging for information on me. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing to be found. I'd made sure of that. "Okay. Good night, Commander."

Before he could respond, I was out of the car and heading for my door.

Gideon was waiting inside, likely having heard the car pull into the driveway.

I tossed my purse onto the couch and huffed out a breath. "He's no better than I thought he would be." I wasn't sure why that disappointed me as much as it did, but it aggravated me. "I don't even know what I was thinking. I should have expected it."

Angry tears filled my eyes and I wiped them away in annoyance.

Gideon nudged his head against my leg and I gave him a couple of good rubs before heading upstairs to change into pajamas. Once that was done, I came back down the stairs, fed Gideon his dinner, and then settled onto the recliner with my personal laptop.

After a blank Word document was opened, I set the line and paragraph spacing like I wanted it and began to type out my report for the governor. I started by summarizing the two cases that Five-O had worked that week, which took up about four pages because my summaries always tended to be long. That's why they didn't typically let me handle the paperwork in my jobs.

After the summaries, I typed up a more thorough detailing of Steve McGarrett's actions. As I got to the end, I thought about how he had behaved at the end of our last case, after I had tackled and taken down Luis, the killer. Instead of cuffing him and taking him away to be questioned, Steve had exploited Luis' weaknesses in order to get the information out of him. Luis had even said that it was police brutality and… technically…

But Luis was a criminal – a killer – and Steve had only wanted the information that we needed to take him down for good. That wasn't a bad thing, right? Special forces did that in the field all of the time and _technically_ , Five-O was a special force. But… also not _that kind_ of special force.

"I think it's the exact kind of thing that the governor wants to know about," I told Gideon when he came to lie down in his dog bed that sat next to the recliner.

He stared up at me with his soulful brown eyes, but was no help.

I stared hard at the blinking cursor.

Finally, I hit the print button and closed my laptop.

For reasons unbeknownst even to me, I didn't want the governor to know about that little incident.

"Don't read into it," I warned Gideon as I stood to go to bed.

He didn't look convinced.


	6. Mistrust Breeds Tension

… **..**

 **It's Friday, and you know what that means… guaranteed new chapter!**

 **So, I haven't decided** _ **exactly**_ **how many chapters this story is going to have, but I** _ **do**_ **know where it's headed, so there's that. I drew up an outline and I'm pretty happy with it, so at least you know that I have no excuse to just suddenly stop writing. Hold me to it, okay?**

 **Thank you all so much for all of your support in the form of views, follows, favorites, reviews, and private messages. You know that I appreciate each and every one of you very much. Please keep the support coming.**

 **I hope that you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Six: Mistrust Breeds Tension_

Allie

Gideon was staring at me as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the wall. After a few moments, he whined and pawed at my shin.

I sighed. "I know. I know I have to get ready for work. But the thing is… I don't want to go."

He tilted his head as if to ask why.

And, because the only person that I trusted to talk to about my feelings was my dog, I told him. "Two days was _not_ long enough for me. I don't want to go in there and face Steve McGarrett. He all but outright told me that he's still going to be digging into me and even though I know that he won't be able to find anything, it still irritates me. I feel like I _really_ proved myself these last two cases and if he can't start trusting me by now…" I heaved a frustrated sigh.

Gideon whined, tuned in as he always was to my emotions.

"Exactly!" I exclaimed. "I even kept his less than commendable actions out of my report to the governor. And I can't even take it back. I already sent it in. But of course, he's never going to know about that, which kind of sucks because maybe that would prove to him that he could trust me. It's tough being a spy, you know?"

He whined again, scooting just a tiny bit closer.

"It really is," I sighed. "But at least I have you, and you understand."

Suddenly, Gideon darted out of the room.

"Hey!" I called, offended. "Come on! Just because you sense the mistrust between me and Steve, doesn't mean that you have to-"

But he was back, his food dish in his mouth.

"Oh," I realized sheepishly. "I forgot to feed you this morning. That's why you were whining." I sighed and stood, pulling the dish from his mouth. "Sorry, buddy. I have a lot on my mind."

After I'd fed him, I went back upstairs and headed to my closet. I was feeling somber, so I chose black skinny jeans, black booties, and a black tee with one white stripe. At least it gave me a small pop of something else. My hair went up into a messy bun because I just couldn't bring myself to care, and I didn't bother with any makeup. I typically didn't, as my skin was smooth and without blemish, thanks to the wonderful genes passed to me.

Even though I probably should have left quickly, I took the time to sit at my table and eat a bowl of cereal. Surely, Steve wouldn't care if I came in a little later than usual. Of course, that could also hurt my image in his eyes…

I groaned. Fitting in with him was so tough.

"Bye, Gideon!" I called, and then I headed for Five-O headquarters.

As soon as I walked through the doors, I could feel the buzz in the air.

Something big was going on.

Before I could ask what it was, Steve stormed out of his office and straight towards me, eyes on fire. "Where have you been?"

Instinctively, my hands went up in a silent surrender. "Whoa, Commander. You said that we didn't have an official start time."

"But doesn't nine seem a little late to you?" he demanded.

Chin, Kono, and Danny had all gotten there later than that, but I didn't voice that. It wouldn't do any good; he just wanted to attack me and establish himself as the one in control. And I needed to let him do it, as much as it hurt my pride. "Maybe, sir. I'm sorry."

There wasn't much that he could say to that, so he just waved for Danny to follow him and the two of them went out the doors.

Kono and Chin were standing at the big screen, both of them surprised by what they had just witnessed.

"No big deal," I told them as I approached. "Do we have a case?"

"Just came in," Kono told me with a sympathetic smile. "A little girl was kidnapped and murdered last night. Police found her body dumped this morning in an alley after a store owner called and said that his dog was barking like crazy and wouldn't shut up. Her name was Lily Adams. She was only seven years old."

I closed my eyes for a moment against the horrible image. Sometimes, I really hated the line of work that I was in. "Any leads?"

"Danny and Steve went out to question a potential witness," Chin answered. "He told us to stay here and comb through the report that the parents made last night after she was abducted from the grocery store."

"Good God," I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. I was definitely not well-rested enough to be dealing with something like that. "One minute you're picking out the ripest pineapples and the next, your daughter is gone. Did security cameras catch anything?"

"The perp had his hood pulled up around his face," Kono said and showed me the clip. Indeed, it was difficult to tell who the man was. "The parents worked with a sketch artist and we have beat cops showing the drawing to people, but no one has recognized him so far."

"Let's hope that changes soon. We need to get this guy."

Chin asked, "Do you have any contacts that could help us with this?"

"Most of my contacts are white collar criminals," I told him regretfully. "They steal art, forge documents… that kind of thing. Nothing violent."

He sighed in frustration. "I was kind of hoping that you had someone."

"Not this time. I wish I did."

A call came in on Kono's cell and she stepped away to answer it, leaving Chin and I to stare at the still on the screen. It was hard to believe that the little girl in his arms was dead.

"Who can kill a _child_?" I whispered.

Chin heard me. "Believe me, I don't know. And I don't want to."

Kono came back just then, seeming worked up. "An officer found someone that recognized the guy. Said that his name is Frank Davis."

"That's a fake name if I've ever heard one," I scoffed.

Sure enough, it was a fake ID. But…

"A _good_ one," Kono said, clearly impressed. "Everything is flawless. Whoever made this has to be good."

"Let me make a call," I told her and stepped away, heading into my office.

Uncle Edward answered on the third ring. "A call two days in a row. How sweet of you."

"Sorry, Uncle Edward," I said as I leaned back against my desk. "This isn't just a call to say hi."

He sighed. "Sometimes, I expect too much. What do you need?"

"I remember Cal saying that he was planning to move to Hawaii and work there after they started making busts in NYC. Do you know if he ever did?"

"As a matter of fact, he did. I'm guessing you need his alias?"

"Please."

"You're not going to arrest him, are you?"

"No, Uncle Edward, I promise. I think he may have sold an ID to someone that's a suspect in a case I'm working right now. A kidnapping and a murder."

On the other end, my uncle drew in a sharp breath. "How old?"

"She was seven."

"Jesus," he said softly on the other end and then said, "I know where he is. He's running a tech repair store as a front. It's called Garrison's Gadgets."

"I'm guessing he goes by the name 'Garrison' now."

"You'd be correct. Hey, find this son of a bitch, okay?"

I nodded. "With Cal – sorry, _Garrison's_ – help, I think we can. I'll call you after it all ends. Let you know how it turns out."

"You do that."

I hung up and rushed out of my office. "I may have something. I think I may know who forged the ID. And I know where to find him."

"I'll come with you," Chin said and called over his shoulder to Kono. "Let Danny and Steve know."

"I will!" she called back as Chin and I rushed out.

Once in my Camaro, Chin asked me, "Where are we headed?"

"I'm not sure yet," I admitted as I backed up. "Do you know a place called Garrison's Gadgets?"

"Yes, actually." He sounded surprised. "I had to take my cell phone in there once to repair the screen. The guy was super quick about it. Is that your contact?"

"Well, the contact that I called said that he thinks it's the same guy I'm thinking of."

"Ah. An alias."

I nodded. "Do you know where we're going?"

"Yeah. Take this next left."

We were outside of the shop within minutes and luckily, no customers were inside.

"Be with you in just a minute!" someone called from the back, and then Cal came out dressed in his usual jeans and a superhero shirt. Hero of the day was Batman. When he saw me, his dark eyes widened in surprise and then a smile broke out on his face. "I didn't expect to see you in Hawaii."

"Back at you," I told him, and couldn't help but smile as I stepped forward to hug him quickly. "I'd love to catch up, but we actually really need your help."

"Sure, anything," he told me. "Free of charge for you, of course."

I rolled my eyes at him and took the folded drawing out of my back pocket. "Actually, I need you to tell me if you made an ID for this man."

He took the picture, but his eyes went to Chin, full of suspicion.

"We're Five-O," I told him. "And we're not going to tell anyone what you told us in here. We're just looking for the killer of a seven-year-old girl."

At that, Cal's eyes widened and he rushed behind the counter. "Yeah, of course. Of course. Do you happen to have the name he's operating under?"

"Frank Davis."

Cal typed furiously on his laptop for a moment and then turned it around so that we could see the display. The papers and ID on the screen were the same ones we had found earlier. "Is this your guy?"

"That's him," Chin confirmed.

Cal turned the laptop back around, clicked a few buttons, and said, "His real name is Oscar Neff. Date of birth: March 21, 1978. I have his original papers and ID scanned in, if you want to see them."

"Please," Chin said, and Cal allowed him to take pictures as they were up on the screen. "I'll send this to Kono. I'll be waiting by the car."

Once he was gone, Cal leaned in. "You're a cop now?"

"How things change, right?"

He didn't laugh. Instead, he seemed sad. "I guess they do. Do you need to ask me anything else?"

"I think we should be able to find everything else that we need in our system, but you've been a big help. We wouldn't have any leads if it wasn't for you."

"Yeah, no problem. You know I don't approve of those kinds of crimes."

"Just forgery," I teased him.

He smiled. "And a few other things. Some might call them victimless crimes."

"Some might."

As I began to walk away, he called out to me. "Hey! If you ever need anything, get in touch with me."

"If I ever need a fake ID?" I raised an eyebrow. "I don't do that kind of thing anymore."

He shrugged. "Fake ID. Someone to talk to. Familiar face. Whatever."

The smile that I gave him was genuine. "I really appreciate that. Right now, I'm going out to catch a killer. But you might hear from me soon."

"Good luck!" he called after me, but I was already dashing to the Camaro.

"Kono ran the name and got an address. Steve and Danny are on their way. Let's go."

I put the car in drive and gunned it.

Steve

"Oscar Neff," I called at the door after I'd pounded it a couple of times. "Five-O! Open up!"

Almost instantly, a shot came out of the side window, causing us all to duck down.

"Go!" I called and kicked in the door, gun aimed out in front of me.

Oscar got off a shot at me, but I dodged it and tackled him to the floor, wrestling the gun away in the scuffle. He resisted, but he wasn't exactly in the best shape. Danny and I had him cuffed and shoved onto the couch within a minute.

"Why did you murder that little girl?" I demanded.

The shock in his expression was real, which surprised me. "What are you talking about, man? I didn't kill no girl!"

"We have you on security camera footage stealing her from a grocery store," Danny said in his best 'you are the biggest idiot' tone.

"And now we're taking you down for her murder, too."

"Whoa, hold on," Oscar said. "Look, I'll go down for kidnapping, but _murder_? That's life, man. And possibly the death penalty. I swear, I didn't kill her."

"Then who did?" Danny asked him.

"Check this out." Chin and Allie had been canvasing the house, and they had come back with a small bag filled with cash.

"Wow," Danny said sarcastically. "That's quite a lot of money for a farm worker."

Oscar sighed, knowing that he'd been caught. "Look, if I tell you everything, will you let the prosecution know that I cooperated?"

"Deal," I told him. "Start talking."

And talk, he did. "I was approached in the parking lot of the grocery store by a man. He said that he'd heard of me and knew that I was good at quick grabs. He wanted to grab a child; said the kid was his and the mother was withholding visitation because she didn't like that he smoked. I felt for him."

"And he offered you eighty thousand dollars," Allie said. She must have counted the money.

"I knew that the grocery store cameras were crappy; I've stolen from there before. The man just wanted to see his child. I didn't know…" His eyes grew sad. "I swear, I didn't know that he was going to kill her."

"Not just kill her." Chin came back into the room. I hadn't even noticed that he'd left, but he'd obviously been on the phone, as he still had it in his hand. And his expression was one of disgust. "Max just called. There was evidence of sexual abuse."

"Oh, God," Oscar groaned and hung his head.

"Yeah, come on, big guy." Danny grabbed him roughly and hauled him off the couch. "You're going to sit with a sketch artist to help us find this guy, and then you are going away for a _long_ time." He was way too rough as he led the guy out the door, but I couldn't blame him. He had a daughter of his own and always got a little too involved when a case involved a young girl.

"Let's hope we can get a good image from this guy," Chin said.

"Let's hope," I repeated and headed out the door. "Anything else in the house?"

"No," Allie answered from behind me. "Nothing."

I didn't even bother to respond. Things were obviously tense between us, now that we had each admitted our mistrust for the other. I was sure that everyone saw it – Danny had asked me about it – but it was just going to be the way that things were, for a while. Possibly for a long time.

Back at HQ, Oscar sat with the sketch artist and got a pretty good image. When Kono ran it through our system, we managed to come up with a match. It came back to a Miles Rochester, a registered sex offender that had just been released from prison on child pornography charges.

"It didn't make sense before," I said. "That he would pay someone eighty thousand to kidnap a little girl and then kill her, but now it does. It says here that he used to kidnap little kids himself, make videos, and sell them for a lot of money. Most of that money was never recovered. My guess would be that he's back to his old ways."

"Do we have an address?" Chin asked Kono.

She typed furiously and then nodded. "Yes. I'll text it out."

Everyone rushed for the door.

Twenty minutes later, we were outside the small white house. HPD officers had the place surrounded, and a car in the driveway told us that he was definitely home. We were going to be getting our guy.

"Let's move," I said, and my task force crept forward, guns drawn and ready.

It was Danny that banged on the door. "Five-O, Miles Rochester! Open up!"

There was a crash from inside and I quickly kicked in the door, which splintered on impact. We rushed inside and a shot came from around the corner, sending me reeling backward. Another shot came, and I knelt before peeking around the corner to take a shot of my own.

It hit Miles Davis in the thigh and he went down with a loud cry, getting off one more shot as he hit the floor. I rushed forward and kicked the gun out of his hand, and Danny covered me with his own gun. The rest of the team cleared the other rooms, just in case. They were all clear.

At least that meant that no more children had been taken.

"Miles Rochester," I said as I flipped him over and put cuffs on him, tighter than could have been comfortable. He deserved much worse than that. "You're under arrest for kidnapping, raping, and murdering Lily Adams. And also for anything else that my team finds in here, which I'm guessing is going to be a whole lot of pornography." I nodded to Chin and Kono, and they took off to begin a search.

"You need a warrant," he spit out, his breath reeking of cigarette smoke. It had ruined his teeth; they were all yellow and black.

"Not today," Danny said and began to help me haul him to his feet. "See, because that's a right reserved for those that _don't_ rape and murder innocent girls. You know what I'm saying?"

Miles Rochester sneered at him. "You got proof?"

"I think that the tapes we're bound to find in here are going to be more than enough proof for any court of law," Allie finally spoke up from off to the side. She'd holstered her gun and was staring at the criminal, her expression harder than I'd ever seen it.

Miles' eyes widened when he saw her and he whistled as his expression turned to one of a hunger that made me sick. "Well, well, well. How did a woman like you end up as a cop? You're better suited to be a model. I bet you were… so beautiful as a little girl."

Faster than I had thought possible, Allie stepped forward and spun, kicking out. Her heel connected with his face and there was a crunch so awful that I actually winced. Miles, on the other hand, did much more than that. He cried out and began to shout about police brutality and how we couldn't do this to him because we were cops and blah, blah, blah.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Danny said as he took over and began to lead Miles towards the door. "You really should be more careful, you know. I mean, running into the wall like that…"

Once he was out the door, I turned to Allie, at a loss for words.

She stood there with her arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face that was a mix of sadness and something that I couldn't quite nail down. When she looked at me, she tried to force a smile that fell flat. "I'm sorry for my behavior, Commander."

I could have reprimanded her. With all of the tension between us, she probably expected me to.

Instead, I said, "What behavior?"

Our eyes locked and a deep understanding passed between us.

For that brief period of time, the tension was gone and something else took over. Something deep and strong.

But as she nodded and moved for the door, it disappeared, leaving behind only a strange sense of loss.


	7. A Mysterious Visit

…

 **My goal was to get 36 reviews (which would amount to 6 reviews per chapter), and that has been accomplished thanks to each and every one of you! My next goal is to get 30 follows, so if you haven't followed the story yet, get to it!**

 **I really cannot express how much each and every one of you means to me. Maybe you get sick of me typing these notes out at the beginning of every chapter, but I'm going to keep it up. Skip them if you want to. I just really want you all to know how much you mean to me. Thank you so much for your continued support through reviews, favorites, follows, messages, and views.**

 **When I started this story, I never expected it to get as much support as it has.**

 **And I owe it all to you. Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Seven: A Mysterious Visit_

Allie

The world was conspiring against me. It had rained during the night, making the sand a little hard to run in for me (though Gideon hadn't had an issue). My coffee machine had decided to go on strike, so the caffeine that I so desperately needed was unavailable, as I didn't believe in using public coffee machines. The shirt that I had been planning to wear got a mysterious stain on it while I'd been making myself breakfast. I'd been behind idiots on the road the entire way to work.

"What else?" I grumbled as I pushed my way into the Five-O office.

And then I saw.

A uniformed HPD officer stood off to the side and, sitting in the chair beside him, was someone that I hadn't expected to see again so soon.

When the officer saw me, he stepped forward and greeted me. "Officer Rhodes. This man came into HPD this morning and said that it was urgent that he speak with you right away. He said you knew he was coming."

My visitor stood and grinned at me. "Hey, twin."

The officer's eyes widened in surprise and he looked back to me. I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I have a twin brother."

Kol feigned offense. "Can't you see the resemblance?"

"We're _fraternal_ twins, Kol."

"So?" He turned towards the officer. "We clearly have the same _awesome_ bone structure, hair the color of rich, melted chocolate, and perfect skin."

"And eyes," I reminded him and then nodded at the officer. "You're good to go. Thank you for bringing him here."

He nodded, still seeming a little confused by what had just transpired, and left.

Danny was the first one to speak. "So, you have a brother?"

Kol didn't move his eyes from me, nor I from his. But he was smiling, whereas I was not. "She has four brothers. But she doesn't talk about us much. I think she's ashamed of us."

"You _think_?"

"I _also_ think that you're in a bad mood. Run not go so well this morning? Not enough coffee? Bad breakfast?" In Russian, he said, "It's either a bad mood or you've just entirely forgotten your manners."

I ground my teeth and then pasted on a smile that I knew couldn't look any more fake. "Kol, this is Five-O. Steve McGarrett, Danny Williams, Kono Kalakaua, and Chin Ho Kelly. Five-O, this is my brother, Kol."

" _Twin_ brother," Kol corrected.

"He thinks that matters. And _we_ are going to have a little conversation in my office."

"Oh no, your office." His voice dripped with mock horror but he didn't resist when I grabbed his arm and began dragging him towards my office. "It was nice to meet you all!"

Once the door was closed behind us, I shoved him towards the chair in front of my desk and then I sat in my own chair. "Why are you here, Kol?"

His expression turned serious, an unusual look for him. "You disappeared again."

"I didn't _disappear_. I left the bomb squad and came here."

"Without _telling_ anybody. Which is an awful lot like disappearing."

"Don't be offended," I told him. "It's not like you're the only one I didn't tell. And I figured you'd all be used to it by now – me jumping from job to job."

"That doesn't mean I don't want a goodbye of some kind from my twin sister." He grinned. "A card. An e-mail. A phone call."

"Well, you're here now." I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "How long are you staying?"

"Not long. Couple of days, maybe. But – let me guess – you have to work and so you expect me to just go hang out at your house. You still have Gideon? Think he remembers me?"

"I'm sure he does, but you don't have to just go sit in my house. There are a ton of things to do in Hawaii."

"Like beaches?" By the grin on his face, I could tell that he was really talking about all of the hot women in bikinis that liked to inhabit the beaches.

"You're not dressed for the beach." He was dressed in black slacks and a matching blazer over a crisp white button-down shirt. His shoes were Italian leather. For all intents and purposes, he looked like some kind of fancy lawyer.

"I can change. And I've been told I look pretty good in swim trunks."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't doubt that he was telling the truth. Due to the nature of his work, Kol kept in top shape. But, as his sister, I really didn't need details about how he looked in _any_ article of clothing. "Then go buy some swim trunks. I'll text you when I'm on my way home."

"Ah, so you _do_ have my number," he said as he stood. "I had been telling myself that maybe you'd lost it."

"Get over yourself."

"I'll do my best." He winked at me and headed for the door of my office. Right before he opened it, he turned back to me. "Oh, yeah… Do you know why that Steve McGarrett character was looking at me like I might be the answer to all of his problems? Is he gay?"

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "No. As far as I can tell, he's not gay. He's just _very_ curious about me."

"Ah." Understanding dawned in Kol's eyes. "And he thinks that I'll be a little more loose-lipped than you are."

"He probably thinks that you'll be a _lot_ more loose-lipped than me. You don't exactly give off serious vibes."

"But I know how to keep a secret. Do you two have a thing?"

I felt the shock ripple through my body. "No! What do you mean, a _thing_? We… we work together. That's our only thing."

"Hmm…." The look on his face told me that he didn't believe me. "Okay, then. See you later tonight. Stay safe."

"You too."

He was gone less than twenty seconds later and I did my best to turn my focus to work.

Steve

It was stupid and completely unjustified, but I didn't turn around. Allie's twin brother seemed like the talkative type, and I could use that to my advantage. I obviously wasn't going to get anything out of Allie, so I needed to find other sources. What better source than her twin brother? At the very least, I could find out what was up with the giant hole of Allie's first eighteen years.

Kol was driving a rental car (I'd had Chin run the plates on the DL, but everything looked legit except for the fact that it was in Allie's name), a black Toyota Camry. I hadn't run his background yet, but only because I wanted to do that myself. I didn't want my team getting suspicious of Allie as well. She'd know that something was up.

Her brother parked in one of the many parking lots of the beach and got out, buttoning his blazer when it started to flap against the breeze. He looked out at the water and then began to walk towards it. The way he was dressed, he was going to ruin that nice ensemble with sand and salt water.

I backed into a parking space and continued to watch him… right up until he got caught up in a passing group of surfers. Once they had finished passing, Kol was gone. Vanished into thin air, as if he'd never been there at all. Surprised, I sat up a little straighter and grabbed the binoculars out of the glove box. Surely a man in a suit on the beach couldn't be very hard to find.

But as I scanned the shore, the passenger door opened and I looked over to see him sliding into the truck, smiling at me as if we were friends that hadn't seen each other in a very long time. "Steve McGarrett, right? We didn't get a chance to talk earlier." He held out a hand. "I'm Kol. Allie's brother."

I shook his hand and set the binoculars on the dashboard. "I, uh… I guess I've been made. You have experience in counter surveillance?"

"I have experience in a lot of things." The expression on his face coupled with the smug smile that would have put even Danny's to shame made me think that this was all a joke to him.

Of course it was. He knew things and I didn't.

"Like?" I fished. He already knew that I had been following him, so I really had nothing to lose.

"Is your interest in me solely because of my sister?"

Well, he was smarter than I had thought. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ah. We're playing that game. Okay. I, uh, have experience with languages, travelling… that kind of thing. What about you, Commander? What are your areas of expertise?"

I rested my head against the seat and sighed. "I have a feeling this is going to be a bust."

"Depends on what you were after." He opened his door and slid his legs out, pausing only long enough to glance back at me and say, "But, yeah. I would probably just call this a bust, if I were you. Because I honestly can't tell you very much about Allie Rhodes."

"She's your twin sister. You two grew up together."

"Trust me, Commander…" He sighed and straightened, hand poised to close the door. "It's a lot more complicated than that." And then he shut the door and faded into the crowd as easily as he had before.

I didn't bother trying to find him again. He was _good_ , and I didn't really have the time to just try to keep up with him all day. Banging the steering wheel once with the heel of my hand, I said to myself, "Great. Just one more mystery to add to the stack of dominos."

Back at HQ, I went straight to my office and began to do a search of Kol on my computer. Problem was… Kol Rhodes didn't exist in the system. Which meant that Allie's name was not the one she was born with, much as I had suspected early on. That would explain the hole before her eighteenth birthday.

Had she changed it when she went to work for the CIA? Or had the CIA given her a new identity before she left and provided her with a background starting at age eighteen? If that was the case, then what about her twin brother? They certainly _looked_ like family, so I was willing to bet that he really was her twin. But had he been in the CIA, too? He certainly had the skills of an operative. Or maybe he had worked for another government program… Either way, I doubted that I would be able to find him without help.

Or his prints.

Which could have been inside my truck…

I called down to the crime lab and asked for Charlie Fong, who came to the phone only moments later. "What can I do for you, Commander?"

"Meet me in the parking lot at Five-O headquarters. I need you to dust my truck for prints."

"Sure thing, Commander. I'll be right over."

"One more thing, Charlie."

"Yes?"

"This is a favor. Not official business."

There was a pause, but then he said, "Of course. I'll text you when I make it to the parking lot."

The team was busy consulting on different cases and catching up on paperwork, so they didn't even notice when I went downstairs to unlock my truck for Charlie. I then went back up to my office and sat at my desk, trying unsuccessfully to focus on the work that I needed to do. The governor required a general report at least once a month, so I should have been doing that, but I couldn't focus. I needed to solve this cloud of mystery that surrounded Allie Rhodes.

Or whatever her real name was.

When Carlie's name popped up on my screen, I practically jumped for it and answered. "Charlie. What did you find?"

"Your prints. Danny's prints. But nothing else."

It was all I could do not to slam my fist down on my desk. _So close_. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. My sweep was thorough."

Of course it was. He was the best; that's why I had asked him to come. "Okay. Thanks, Charlie."

This whole thing just kept getting weirder and weirder. It was like every time that I came up with a plan, Allie (and, apparently, her brother) were several steps ahead of me. Kol hadn't been wearing gloves when he'd been in my truck, so how had he kept from leaving behind even a _partial_ print?

Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes and tried to remember every move that he'd made. He had to have touched the door handle in order to get in, but that could easily be done without leaving behind a print. He'd had to close the door, but I hadn't seen how he did it. And, for the life of me, I couldn't remember him touching anything else.

Clever son of a-

"Hey, we have a case," Danny said and I opened my eyes to him standing in the doorway of my office, staring at me strangely. "What are you doin' in here? Meditating? Becoming one with the chair?"

Knowing that my real explanation would sound even crazier than that, I just stood up and began to walk around the desk. "What do we got?"

"This isn't over," Danny said, but stepped out of the office and led me to the big screen, where everyone but Allie was waiting for me.

Suspicious. "Where's Allie?"

"She went to have lunch with her brother," Kono answered me. "I just called her and told her to meet us."

"What are we waiting for, then?"

"I thought you might want to see this first," she answered and cued up a video on the screen. It was a dashcam video of a police chase, and a high-speed one, at that. They were chasing a black van without tags. Once they gained on it, however… the driver panicked and hit the cement barriers in the median. Van went up in the air and crashed to the ground, rolling a few times before stopping.

"Survivors?" I asked.

"No, the driver died," Kono said. "But, inside the van, police found three car seats strapped in."

I felt Danny stiffen from beside me. "Were there kids inside?"

"No, but there _was_ DNA. It matched to two kidnapping cases involving children under the ages of one."

"How long ago was this?" Danny asked.

"It happened just this morning," Chin answered for Kono. "HPD had just determined that it was the same guy and they were about to call it in when the chase happened."

"And now, the only guy that knew where the children are is dead." I felt dread begin to rise in my chest. Children that young had no survival skills. Without someone to feed them, they'd be dead in no time.

"I don't think so," Chin disagreed and brought up a rap sheet with a picture of a burly, bearded man. "This was the driver of the van. He's been rumored to be the driver for a man named Paco Saldonas, a suspected trafficker specializing in babies."

Danny's disgusted expression likely mirrored my own. "You're telling me that this sick bastard takes children and sells them?"

"Not for the reasons that you think," Kono said. "He's long been suspected of taking children and adopting them out to rich families. It's easier to do with babies, and some families that can't conceive are willing to pay a lot of money to finally be able to have a child of their own. He has an adoption agency here on the island that the FBI has investigated numerous times. They've never been able to find anything to suggest that the adoptions aren't completely above board."

"So, we have to find these kids, link them to Saldonas, and put him away for the rest of his life."

She nodded. "That's pretty much it. Allie just texted and said that she's at the house of the last kid to be snatched this morning. We can meet her there. It's not far from here."

Indeed, the house was only about ten minutes from HQ, and we found Allie sitting in the living room with two very distraught parents.

Very quietly, I turned to Chin and Kono and said, "Canvas the house for anything unusual."

They nodded and slipped away.

When Allie caught sight of us, she stood and spoke gently to the parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, this is Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett and Detective Danny Williams. They work on the Five-O task force as well."

Danny and I nodded to the parents and the woman tried to say something, but a sob choked her.

"Are there any leads?" the man asked, desperation swimming in his dark eyes.

"I was hoping you could tell us," I said and looked to Allie.

She got the hint and spoke. "Mrs. Davidson had gone out this morning with her four-month-old son, Ricky. They got back home around nine and she had just gotten out of the car when a man put a gun to her head, tied her hands, and took the car seat out of the back of her car. He handed it off to another man, and they drove away, managing to avoid a patrol car that had been passing down the street. Rather than pursue the van, the officer stopped to help Mrs. Davidson. He didn't realize what had just happened."

"Mrs. Davidson," I made sure to keep my tone gentle as I took out my phone and pulled up a picture of the driver of the van that had crashed. "Did you see this man?"

When she saw him, she sobbed a little harder and nodded. "He was… he tied me and snatched the car seat. He was the driver."

It was a long shot, but I swiped to the picture of Saldonas. "What about this man?"

She studied it for a moment and shook her head. "No. The other man was mostly bald with only a mustache. And he was younger than this man."

Just as I had figured. A man like Saldonas likely had several men to work for him. He wouldn't do the dirty work himself. "Mrs. Davidson, we're going to do everything that we can to bring your son home to you, okay?"

She began sobbing anew and Allie knelt down beside her as the husband wrapped his arms around her, crying tears of his own. I motioned for Danny to follow me outside and we found Chin and Kono there. When they saw us, they shook their heads almost in unison.

"There wasn't anything unusual in the house," Kono said.

"The snatch happened outside," Danny told them. "There likely wouldn't be anything inside. Mrs. Davidson recognized the driver, but not Saldonas. She did confirm that there was another man, though. Do we know of any other associates?"

"A few," Chin said. "I'll go back to HQ and look them up."

"He's down a driver." Allie had appeared in the doorway of the house. "Right? The driver died in the crash."

"That's right," I confirmed. "Why?"

"Because guys like Saldonas don't see these men as people. They're just a means to get the job done. Did the driver have a record for driving getaway cars?"

Kono nodded. "No one had ever been able to catch him, though."

"So, he was good." Allie nodded.

"According to sources, he had only started working for Saldonas recently," Chin said. "After Saldonas moved his adoption agency to the island."

"He's going to need another driver," Allie said and, despite the circumstances, she smiled. "And that's our in."

I raised my eyebrow at her. "Yeah? Are you going to audition as his getaway driver?"

She laughed as she pulled her cell phone out of her jeans. "Not me, no. But I _do_ know a guy." As we watched, she dialed a number and put the phone to her ear.

"Who?" Danny asked her.

Her smile was almost devious as someone on the other end answered. "Hey, twin. Turns out you came to Hawaii at just the right time. How soon can you get to Five-O HQ?"


	8. Fast and Mysterious

…

 **Yay! You guys did it! I now have 30 followers on this story (even though the site is only showing 29, I can see that there are actually thirty)! As promised, here is a new chapter for helping me reach my goal. My next goal is to get 20 favorites (I have 17 right now) or 50 reviews (I have 43 right now). When either of those goals is reached, new chapters will be posted. Now…**

 **Is it bad to be pumped about a chapter of your own story? Well, if it is, let's pretend that it's not; because I am SUPER excited about this chapter. Hint: we get to learn a little bit more about Allie's brother and examine their relationship a little more. Bonus hint: car chase.**

 **As always, thank you all so much for your support of this story. I couldn't do it without you.**

 **And because it's time for the reminder: This story does not correspond to the actual timeline of the show. I use the characters and the premise, and a lot of artistic license.**

 **Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eight: Fast and Mysterious_

Steve

Allie's twin brother was waiting for us at HQ, spinning himself around and around in the chair from Allie's office.

When he spotted us on one of his spins, he smiled, but continued to spin. "Oh! Hey, guys! I'm just… hanging out… hold on…" He put his feet down and the chair slowly came to a standstill. Out of breath, he put his elbows on his knees and lowered his head. "I think that was a new record."

"Of stupidity," Allie agreed and stepped forward. She needed to take the lead, as she knew her brother the best. "We need your help."

He nodded, looking up at her from his seat on the chair. "Great. I have many experiences and skills." After a wink at me, he looked back to her. "Which one is it that you'll be needing today?"

"Your driving skills."

His grin widened and he finally got to his feet, swaying for only a moment before straightening. "You serious? I get to do my thing?"

"Your _thing_?" Danny asked and chuckled. "Let me guess: you're like the Fast and Furious people."

"More like… The Fast and Mysterious," Kol corrected him. "The key to getaway driving is to get away and then blend. And to have a strong drifting game, which I do. What's the mark?"

"Over here," Allie told him and led him to the big screen, pulling up some data. "This is Paco Saldonas."

Kol frowned and looked at his sister. "I know that name from somewhere."

She nodded. "You've probably heard of him. He worked in New York for a while, as well as a few other big cities. Chicago, Los Angeles, San Fran… he owns his own private adoption agency."

"Ah." Kol nodded, but didn't confirm whether or not he had heard the name before. "But I'm guessing this agency isn't exactly a by the books kind of company."

"I think they are… for the most part," Allie said and pulled up a picture of the van crash.

Kol whistled. "Somebody's drifting game was _not_ strong. Looks like a direct hit to the barrier and at least three flips."

That was actually _exactly_ what had happened, but before I could ask him how he could tell, Allie nodded. "Yeah, well, they were in a high-speed chase."

Kol scoffed. "That's no excuse."

"Focus." She pulled up a picture of the driver. "The driver was this guy. He's been a getaway driver for a long time, but police have never been able to catch him."

"What have the police been using to _chase_ him?" Kol asked. "Snails with saddles?"

Danny coughed to cover a laugh and I elbowed him.

"Yeah, don't encourage him," Allie told Danny and then turned back to the screen to show the pictures of the car seats inside of the van. "We believe that he was connected with the kidnapping of two young children."

Kol grew very still, reminding me of a viper before it struck. " _How young_?"

"One is four-months-old. The other will turn one in a week."

All traces of joviality were gone from Kol's expression. "Were they in the crash?"

"No. The mother of the youngest one that was snatched this morning recognized the driver as one of the men that kidnapped her son, but said there was another man with him. We think that Saldonas is keeping them somewhere, waiting to get paperwork forged on them before he can adopt them out for a large sum of money."

"No one has busted him for this yet?"

"Not yet," Kono spoke up. "The FBI has been investigating him for years, but they've never been able to find anything. He's really good at covering his tracks."

"And men like him don't stop just because someone died. There's nothing officially linking him to Saldonas."

Understanding lit Kol's blue eyes. "He's going to be needing a new getaway driver. And soon."

"Yes."

His face split into a grin as he looked at Allie. "We're running a Flying Cuckoo."

"What's a Flying Cuckoo?" Chin asked.

Allie spoke up before Chin could. "It's nothing." She looked to Kol. "You don't have to do this. It could get dicey."

"I love when things get dicey." Kol clapped his hands together and turned to face me. "You're the one in charge here, so here's what I'm going to need: fake driver's license, fast car, and a really cool pair of sunglasses."

"Sunglasses?" Danny asked him incredulously. "Are you serious here?"

"All good getaway drivers wear sunglasses," he said very seriously.

"This guy wasn't wearing sunglasses," Kono argued.

But Kol pointed at her as if she'd just made his entire point for him. "Exactly."

We were wasting time, so I jumped in. "Okay, okay. Why don't you go take care of the sunglasses shopping, and we'll work on your ID and the car? Chin, see what HPD has impounded."

"On it," Chin said and hurried into his office.

"What happens next?" I asked Allie.

She and Kol exchanged a glance, and slowly, a smile broke out on her face. "We have a high-speed chase."

"Like, a real one?" Kono asked, disbelieving.

"No," she said. "A totally staged one."

"But you can really try if you want," Kol offered. "You won't be able to catch me, anyway. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some shades to buy."

Once he was gone, I sent Danny and Kono away to start working on Kol's fake ID. Then, I turned to Allie, crossed my arms, and looked at her very seriously. "I want to take this chance because it seems like the only way to stop Saldonas for good. _But_ , are you sure that this is going to work?"

"Nothing is ever a hundred percent," she told me. "But Kol is the best driver that I know, and believe me, I know a lot. If anyone can do this, it's him." She stepped closer and lowered her voice. "I know that you don't trust me and that's fine. But if you believe nothing else about me, believe that I don't tolerate people that hurt children. Saldonas _will_ go down, even if I have to beat the answers out of him myself."

Her sincerity was hard to refute, so I nodded. "Okay. So, what are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to brief HPD on how the chase is going to go down. Coming?"

I nodded and followed her down the stairs. "So, how _is_ it going to go down?"

"We need to have Kono track Saldonas after he leaves from work and tail him to wherever he goes. The chase will have to go through there."

"But how will Saldonas know who the driver is?"

She smiled, a smile full of secrets. "Trust me, Kol knows what he's doing. But he didn't mention that he's actually going to be needing _two_ cars. He doesn't know this yet, but a Flying Cuckoo isn't the only thing we're going to be running. First, we have to run a Phantom Driver."

"What's up with these crazy names?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I think it's just to make it more fun. You riding with me?"

"Sure. Let's go."

I helped her brief the cops and then we went back to HQ, where we briefed the team and sent Kono out to begin tailing Saldonas. A short while later, Kol returned dressed in jeans, a gray tee, and a black leather jacket. Aviator glasses rounded out his outfit.

"A leather jacket?" Danny asked. "Seriously, kid?"

He removed them with a smile, unaffected by Danny's words. "Trust me, I need the layers." He looked to Allie. "Phantom Driver, huh?"

She shrugged but smiled, seeming to get more and more into this job as time passed. There was an air of excitement around her that I'd never seen before, and it practically made her glow. "One of your favorites, as I recall. Do you have the bug?"

"Bug?" Danny asked her. "I thought you said he didn't need a bug?"

"Not from you guys," Kol said. "No offense, but you're a little behind on technology. I have the bug." He handed Allie a flash drive. "Here's the transmitter."

"Great," she said. "You all clear on what to do?"

"Absolutely," he said and smiled before putting his shades back on. "I'll catch you guys later."

Seconds later, Kono sent a text to Allie.

 _Showtime_.

Allie

"I would have thought that you'd want to be in on the chase," I said to Steve, who had insisted on sitting in the car with me. Normally, a van was used for stakeouts, but I had pointed out that vans are pretty suspicious on a street with fancy shops and restaurants.

So, we were sitting inside of a dark Sedan with tinted windows, laptop on the console between us. We each had our own pair of headphones around our necks, ready for Kol's conversation with Saldonas, who sat in a fancy French restaurant at his usual table by the window.

A perfect view.

"Well, we're not actually catching anybody," Steve said. "It's not nearly as exciting that way."

"I disagree. Driving fast cars is always exciting."

He shrugged. "Kono, Danny, And Chin will all be in on it. You sure your brother can pull this off? I don't see how Saldonas is going to be able to find him if all he sees is a car speeding by."

"So much to learn, Commander," I smiled. "Just trust me. Oh, look. The appetizers were just delivered."

Steve grabbed his radio and spoke into it. "Showtime, guys."

Kol's voice was the first to answer. "You mean time to roll." Seconds later, the radio was announcing that police were in pursuit of an older model Mustang with stolen plates. Dark blue.

"Here we go," I sighed and settled in to listen as he led them on a merry chase.

"How is he going to get away from them?" Steve asked as the chase got closer and closer. We could hear the sirens from the cop cars as well as several loud honks.

Adrenaline rushed through me, even though I wasn't involved in the chase. "Trust him."

Moments later, I saw the Mustang that Kol had been driving round the corner at a high speed. There was so much friction that it created a cloud of smoke. _Perfect_. Most ordinary drivers would have crashed, but Kol easily recovered and the car began to head down the street that we were parked on.

Showtime.

"Why is it losing speed?" Steve asked as he looked through his binoculars. "Is something wrong with it? What did…" He leaned forward slightly, looking closer as the police cars came around the street, following the Mustang and easily gaining on it. "Allie, he's _gone_."

"I know."

He looked over at me and I couldn't help but laugh at the confused look on his face.

"Wait for it, okay? You won't be disappointed."

Immediately, his binoculars were pointed towards the other car that Kol had requested, a white SUV parked up the street, right on the corner. "I don't see him in there, either."

"Wait for it," I said quietly, and we watched the police overtake the Mustang. They immediately began to shout that there was no driver, and all of them were astounded. Genuinely astounded, as Kol and I hadn't told them exactly how the plan would work.

They were all so focused on the car that they didn't see Kol coming up the street, his leather jacket and aviators nowhere in sight.

I nudged Steve and pointed him out. "Ta-da."

"How in the _hell_ did he do that?" Steve's voice was a mix of surprise, confusion, and wonder. He had a slight smile on his face, impressed by what had just happened. It was the most disarmed I'd ever seen him, and I kind of liked it.

"I told you he's the best. Now, it's really showtime. He's headed into the restaurant."

We both watched as Kol walked into the French restaurant.

"Headphones on," Steve said, but I had already begun to pull mine over my ears.

"Bar, please," Kol told the hostess, and she must have led him over there, because he ordered a Tom Collins less than a minute later. "And something to snack on," he told the bartender. "I'm starving."

For the next ten minutes, the only sounds we could hear were indistinctive bar chatter and Kol eating and drinking. It was starting to get really boring, and Steve was getting more and more worried by the second.

And then, finally, a voice. "Excuse me. Is this seat taken?" We didn't have eyes on him, but I would have bet it was Paco Saldonas that spoke.

"No, go ahead," Kol said and then got the bartender's attention. "Can I get another one, please?"

"Should he be drinking that much?" Steve asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "A Tom Collins is just gin with a few other things mixed in. And I promise you Kol can handle his gin _very_ well."

"My name is Paco Saldonas," came the new voice.

"Um… okay?" The underlying message of Kol's words was: _why are you even talking to me_?

Paco chuckled. "I saw the stunt that you pulled off out there. With the car chase."

"I don't know what you're talking about." There was just the right amount of fear and caution in Kol's voice. He could have been an actor.

"No, no, it's okay," Paco assured him. "I thought it was very stylish."

"Again, I don't know what you're talking about." He thanked the bartender for his drink.

Paco spoke again, unwilling to let it go. "They have many windows in this place. I heard the sirens and was watching as you came around the corner. But when the police caught up to the Mustang, you were no longer in it. Tell me… how did you do it?"

"You a cop?" Kol demanded, because no one in his situation would be instantly trusting. He had to play it just right to get on the inside.

"No, no," Paco told him. "I assure you, I'm just a businessman in need of someone with your… talents. Indeed, I believe you may have come to me in my very hour of need."

His next words were skeptical but curious. Perfect. "A businessman, huh? What business are you in?"

"I run an adoption agency."

Kol laughed. "Look, don't waste my time, okay? Why would an adoption agency need a driver?"

"I have my reasons," Paco assured him. "Would you be interested?"

"Thanks, but I just finished a job, as you just witnessed. I better lay low for a little while."

"What's he doing?" Steve asked, sounding slightly panicked. "Paco will just move on."

"Shh," I told him. "Just wait."

"Are you certain?" Paco asked him. "I can get you papers, ID… anything you need. I have places for my men to stay. Off the grid, so no one can find you."

"And why would you help me?"

"As I said, I need someone of your skills."

"And if I say yes?" Kol asked him.

"Then I would ask for your ID for my men to run a background check. If you pass, then you're in. And I promise you, I am a very generous man when it comes to compensation."

Kol was quiet for a few moments, likely appearing to be considering it very seriously. Then, he said, "If you can offer me protection from the police, then sure. Here's my ID. When will I hear from you?"

"Write down your number," he said and Kol did just that. "I will contact you when the check is finished."

"Great." Kol slurped down the rest of his drink and must have gone to pay, because Paco spoke up and told him that it was on him.

"Consider it a signing bonus."

Kol laughed, gave a quick farewell, and then was out the door. He didn't even glance our way as he headed for the white SUV parked up the street. "Hope you guys got all that. I'm going to go and lay low in the motel. He'll have guys following me."

Sure enough, two of Paco's men exited the restaurant and began to follow him. When they slid into a red Mazda, Steve got the plate number and called it in to Kono. It came back to Paco.

"Right on track," I said as I unplugged the headphones and began to put them back into their bag. "Now, we just go back to HQ and wait for Kol to tell us that he's in."

"And then he signals us as soon as he has sights on the kids?" Steve asked me, even though he knew that was the plan.

"Yes. Hopefully that won't be long. I know those parents have to be miserable, wondering where their kids are and if they're okay."

Steve handed me his headphones and laptop to put away, and then he steered away from the curb and towards HQ. "It's not much consolation, but at least we know that Paco doesn't intend to kill them. He wants to sell them for a profit."

"Which is still sick," I said, the disgust making my skin crawl. "And the parents that get these kids don't even know the truth. Neither do the kids."

Steve was quiet for a few moments and then said, "I wonder how many kids have been taken over the years. Sold away to new families."

"If we find those files…" I let out a breath, almost afraid of the answer. "Are we going to have to go find those kids? Return them to their families?"

"Not us, but the FBI will."

"I can't imagine how many kids' lives are going to be flipped upside down. And not just the kids… the adoptive parents, too. Sometimes, I really hate this job."

Steve glanced over at me with a sad smile. "We're returning two kidnapped children to their parents. That has to make up for something."

"Yeah," I conceded. "But there will always be bad in the world."

"Can't argue that."

The rest of the ride passed in silence.

Back at HQ, we went inside and found Chin, Kono, and Danny pacing around, waiting for news. They rushed forward when they saw us and Steve held up a hand to calm them. "The flash drive is in the bag. You guys can listen to what happened and get caught up."

"I just want to know how he _did that_ ," Danny demanded of me as Kono took the bag and dug for the flash drive. "Never in my life have I _ever_ seen anything like that. When did he have time to jump out of the damn car?!"

I smiled. "Sorry, Danny. It's classified."

He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment, looking between me and Steve as if we were in on something together. "Classified, huh? That sounds awfully familiar. Come on!"

But the flash drive feed was up and we all gathered around to listen to it together. After it was over, there was nothing more to do but wait.

"The identity that we gave him was solid," Kono said at one point. "I did everything that you told me to do, Allie. Criminal record, record of being the getaway driver, wanted in a few countries and on the mainland…"

"They don't have our resources," I said to calm everyone, because they seemed antsy. "It's going to take them a little longer to run a background check. Just give it some time."

And, sure enough, I got a text from Kol's cell phone half an hour later.

"Kol just sent me a text. They ran his background and found exactly what we wanted them to. With that kind of record, Saldonas couldn't resist taking him on immediately. He sent Kol an address and told him it was a building where some of his men stayed to keep out of the public eye. He's headed there now."

"Does he think the kids are there?" Danny asked.

"We'll find out if he signals us once he's inside," I said and stood. "But we can at least be close by, if that's the case."

"Let's hope he finds something," Steve said, and we all began to move out.

I was already praying.


	9. Celebrate

… **..**

 **Well, I promised another chapter after either 20 favorites or 50 reviews, and when I checked this morning, I had 20 favorites! So, here's another chapter, as promised. The goal for 50 reviews still stands and I'll only need one more review to get there, so get to reviewing!**

 **Once again, I just have to say how grateful I am for all of the support this story has gotten. When I first decided to start posting it, I didn't think it would get many reads because I'm so new to Hawaii Five-O, so all of the support that it has gotten has blown me away. Thank you all so much for your reads, reviews, private messages, favorites, and follows.**

 **I'm glad that you have enjoyed the story so far, and I hope that this chapter is as enjoyable as the others have been.**

 **Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Nine: Celebrate_

Steve

"How long are we going to sit here?" Danny asked me. "Kol has been inside for two hours. If the kids were in there, surely he would have seen them by now. Maybe they're stashed away somewhere else."

I shook my head and continued to stare at the building in front of us. "I think this is the most likely place. He obviously keeps his criminal men here, so why wouldn't he keep his criminal business here? Maybe Kol just hasn't had a chance to look around."

In the next moment, Allie's voice came over the radio. "Kol just sent me a message. The kids are in there on the second floor, last room on the right. No armed men are in the room, but there are six armed men downstairs playing poker. Right inside the front door."

I nodded. "Let's go. Tell Kol to stay out of the way."

A few minutes later, we were at the door in our full gear, guns at the ready. I signaled to everyone that we were going in, and then I kicked in the door. Luckily, we'd taken everyone by surprise, as they'd been so busy playing poker that it took them a few seconds to realize that we'd even broken in.

A couple of them got shots off, but they were easily taken out and Chin and Kono began to cuff the other three while Danny, Allie, and I headed for the stairs. Kol was waiting for us at the top, and he waved for us to follow him down the hall.

He stopped at the last door, put his finger to his lips, and opened the door quietly. The lights of the room were off, but a lamp glowed in the corner, giving us enough light to see by. I took it all in – the changing table in the corner, the dresser right beside it, and the five cribs scattered across the room.

"They're well taken care of," Kol whispered and led us over to the two cribs closest to the door. Our two missing children were sound asleep inside, despite the noise from downstairs.

"Anyone else here?" I whispered.

"Only the woman that Saldonas hired to care for the babies," he answered me. "Her room is right next door."

"I'll go get her," Allie said and slipped out of the room.

"I'll get a call in to HPD to bring the parents over here," Danny told me. "I think we should let them sleep in the meantime."

I nodded and motioned for Kol and Danny to follow me out of the room. Danny put a call in for units to go and pick up the parents, Allie booked the caretaker, and Chin and Kono booked the men from the ground floor.

"Have any of the others offered to flip on Saldonas?" Danny asked later when we all stood outside, bathed in the flashing lights from the police cars.

"The caretaker did almost immediately," Allie said.

"Nothing from the other perps, but we have all we need," Kono said with a smile. "Thank God this had a happy ending."

"It's not over yet," I told her, hating to be the one to break it to her. "I had to put a call in to the FBI. They'll have to look into Saldonas' records and figure out which adoptions were legit and which ones were illegal."

"And then they'll have to track down all those kids and return them to their parents," Chin realized. "But that could have been _years_ ago."

"He's been running his agency for seven years, so I'd say that's likely," Allie said sadly.

We were all somber for a few moments, until Kol stepped in.

"The parents just got here," he said. "There are a lot of joyous tears and cranky babies inside right now. I say that calls for a celebration."

"It's three in the morning," Kono protested.

"I didn't mean right now," Kol said and rolled his eyes. "I wanted to invite everyone over to Allie's tomorrow night at six for some of my famous pork chops and Allie's famous coconut cake. And alcohol. Of course, there will be alcohol."

Allie shoved her brother's shoulder but laughed. "Who gave you invitation rights?"

"What do you say?" Kol asked everyone.

"Hey, I'm in," Chin was the first to agree. "I never turn down a free meal and I can't wait to taste this famous coconut cake."

"And my pork chops," Kol reminded him. "Kono?"

She laughed. "Sure, I'm in."

"Yes!" he said and turned to Danny. "What about you?"

Danny hesitated for only a moment. "I have Grace tomorrow night. Is it okay if she comes?"

Kol turned to Allie for answers. "Who's Grace?"

"Danny's daughter," Allie told him.

"Oh, yeah, I'm great with kids," Kol said. "I mean, I just rescued two."

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah, sure, I'm in," Danny said and everyone looked at me. "Steve. You in?"

A chance to get inside of Allie's house again and see her in a less formal setting with her brother? Of course I was in. "Yeah, that sounds great. I haven't had a good pork chop in a while. You'd better not disappoint me."

"Trust me, my grilling is just as good as my getaway driving," Kol said.

"Well, then it's gotta be good," Danny said. "So, how _did_ you do that disappearing act earlier?"

Kol just laughed and sauntered away, tossing an, "I'll see you guys tomorrow at six!" over his shoulder.

"I told you," Allie said with a grin. "It's classified." And then she went to follow her brother.

"Let's head home," I told the team. "And I don't want to see anyone in the office before noon." I called out to Allie. "That includes you, Rhodes! No one is coming in before noon tomorrow!"

She raised her hand to let me know that she had heard me.

"Good work today, team," I said, and then Danny and I headed for the Camaro.

Allie

Kol came into the kitchen the next morning at eleven and seemed surprised to find me scrubbing the tile near the back door. "Seriously? How late did you sleep?"

"I got up at five to do my morning run like I always do," I told him. "You can go ahead and get something to eat, just stay away from this area."

He edged around the wet area and headed for the pantry. "We didn't get home until four a.m. last night. Why would you not sleep in? McGarrett said you didn't have to be in until noon."

"My internal clock doesn't let me sleep in."

"So, you got less than an hour of sleep?" He began to pour himself some cereal. "You're a crazy person."

"No, I took a power nap at eight. Now, I'm cleaning because my twin brother invited people over to my house tonight for dinner."

"I don't think they expect your house to be spotless." He took his bowl over to the table, careful to avoid the wet areas.

"Well, it's going to be. Luckily, I tend to keep my house cleaned anyway." I stood, done with my scrubbing. "And _you_ need to keep it clean while you're here alone today, okay?"

Mouth full of cereal, he said, "I notice you're not lecturing Gideon."

Hearing his name, Gideon trotted to the entrance of the kitchen.

"Gideon doesn't make messes." I dumped the dirty water in the sink, rinsed the bucket, and set it on the left side of the sink to dry. "You're also going to have to go and get all the stuff for tonight. What are you serving for sides?"

"Baked potatoes and veggie skewers, just like I always do."

I nodded and pointed to a piece of paper on the counter. "I already wrote down the stuff I'll need you to get for my coconut cake. Just make a list of what you need and then go to the store."

"Roger that."

A glance at the clock told me that it was almost time for me to go. "I need to get ready for work. Do me a favor and play a little fetch with Gideon at some point, okay?"

"You've got it. Gideon and I get along great."

I headed for my bedroom and put my hair up into a cute messy bun before hopping in the shower to rinse the smell of bleach off of me. Once out, I dried off and pulled on jeans and an orange tee, completing the outfit with my best black booties.

Downstairs, Kol was putting his bowl into the dishwasher and Gideon was right behind him, watching.

"He's making sure you pick up after yourself," I laughed.

"Ha, ha," Kol said as he turned around. "I told him we'd go outside and play ball. You ready, Gideon?"

My German Shepherd excitedly ran to the door and began wagging his tail, waiting. "You'd better get going, then," I told Kol. "He's not patient for very long when it comes to playing fetch."

"I'll toss the ball a bit and then clean up and go to the store. I need to get the chops in a marinade as quickly as I can so that they'll be nice and tender. See you when you get home."

"Definitely," I agreed and gave Gideon a pat before I headed out the door and went to work, stopping on the way to grab myself a chicken wrap and a bottle of flavored water.

The only one already in was Kono, who said that she hadn't even heard from the others yet. That wasn't a surprise, really. We'd worked so late the night before that we had surely earned a pass to come in as late as we wanted or even not at all.

Kono and I sat around the big screen and talked for a while, and I learned a lot about her that I hadn't known, mostly because I had never bothered to try looking her up. She'd been a professional surfer when she was younger, but had gotten out of the competition circuit after an injury to her knee. She still surfed for fun, but she tried to take it easy. She had decided to become a cop because of her cousin, Chin, and before she had even joined the academy she had been drafted into Five-O after she had helped them with their very first case.

"What about you?" she asked me. "Any childhood hobbies I don't know about?"

I thought for a moment. "Actually, I used to really enjoy playing cards. My uncle taught me and he was good. Like… wins a ton of money every time he goes to Vegas kind of good. He taught me everything that he knew and we played all of the time."

"Are you serious?" she asked me and when I nodded, she laughed. " _Please_ hustle Danny. He taught Grace to play poker and anytime someone brings up cards, he brags about how good he is. I would _love_ to see him taken down a few notches."

"Maybe Kol and I could talk him into a game tonight. I have a bunch of poker stuff at the house."

"I need your address, by the way," she told me, and I texted it to her as well as Chin and Danny. Steve already knew where I lived, as he'd been there before.

Finally, everyone else came in and Steve sent us all to our offices to go over some files that the HPD had sent over for a consult.

"We'll go ahead and head out at four," Steve told us. "That way we all have time to get ready and head over to Allie's for dinner."

The cases that I consulted on were incredibly boring, and I found myself darting out of HQ as soon as four rolled around. After all, I had to hurry home so that I could bake the cake and then put it in the fridge to get cold.

When I pulled up to my house, I saw an unfamiliar car parked along the curb. Frowning, I got out and went to the door, hand hovering near my holster. But once inside, I saw Gideon relaxing on his bed, indicating that there was nothing amiss.

"Kol?" I called out.

"We're in the kitchen!" he called back.

 _We_? Once inside the kitchen, I saw the mystery car owner.

"Hey, Allie." Cal – or, Garrison, as he now called himself – stood at the counter slicing a bell pepper. "I hope you don't mind that Kol invited me to join you all for dinner."

"I found Cal wandering around the grocery store," Kol said proudly.

"He goes by Garrison now," I corrected him. "And it's good to see you, too. You're definitely welcome to stay for dinner, but are you sure you're going to be comfortable with all of the cops?"

"Don't worry; I won't let anything slip," he assured me. "And I liked the one that I met. The others can't be that bad."

"You need to start working on your cake?" Kol asked me.

"Yeah. I'll bake it, let it cool, and then fill it. Are you almost done in here?"

" _Garrison_ is helping me put together the veggie skewers and the pork chops are already marinating in the fridge, so you should be good to start."

I moved into the empty space and began to put together the ingredients for the cake. Once it was in the oven, I went upstairs to change into a nicer blouse – a lovely green lace detail knit top. I also changed into shorts and strappy sandals, since it was a casual dinner.

I moved on to makeup and put a little more effort into it than I normally would have, just to look nice for my guests. I wanted to be the perfect host when my coworkers came to my house for the first time. Steve already didn't like me; I didn't any more enemies on the task force.

Back downstairs, Kol and Garrison were in the living room watching some kind of game on TV. When they saw me, their eyes widened.

Kol spoke first. "I wasn't aware that we were supposed to dress to impress. I think we're underdressed, Garrison."

Garrison was dressed in jeans and a Superman shirt and Kol was wearing jeans and a navy blue polo. "You're both dressed just fine."

There was something in Kol's expression that I didn't like, but I knew that I needed to finish my cake so I just let it go. Kol had taken the cake out of the oven for me and it was cooling down, so I began to mix the filling. When that was done, I set it aside and began to clean up the other areas of the kitchen.

Kol passed me on his way to the back door and paused to face me. "I need to turn on the grill to get it heating up."

"Okay," I nodded and continued to scrub a stubborn spot.

"So, is that outfit to impress anyone in particular?"

I looked up at him in surprise. "What are you talking about? I just like this shirt."

"Okay." He grinned, and there was something in his expression that I was having trouble deciphering. "I need to turn on the grill."

He left me staring after him for a moment before I shook my head and went back to work. After the kitchen was clean, I filled the cake and then slipped it into the fridge to get cold. Kol was still outside with the grill, so it was up to me to answer the door when Kono and Chin arrived together.

 _Time to host_.

Steve

"Kol, these pork chops _are_ the best ones I've ever had," Danny told Kol as we all sat around Allie's dinner table eating. Kol had served us perfectly grilled pork chops, grilled veggie skewers, and baked potatoes with all of the fixings. And supposedly, Allie's coconut cake was up for dessert.

"I can't tell you," Kol answered. "It would cease to be a secret."

"Are you ever going to tell me _anything_?" Danny asked him, to which Kol shook his head.

There was laughter and then Kono said, "Well, I'm impressed. The house is so clean and the food is delicious. I can't cook _or_ clean."

"Yeah, well, Allie is a perfectionist. She gets it from our mother, who never let a speck of dust settle in our house."

Allie laughed fondly and raised her wineglass to her brother. "Even though Kol made it his personal mission to trash the place as soon as she walked out the door."

He shrugged at the laughter around him. "I swear, she could have the place back to normal in half an hour. Nothing I ever did could throw that woman."

"A lesser woman certainly would have dropped you off at an orphanage," Allie agreed.

"I resent that," Kol said, but looked like he also agreed.

"Your mother sounds like an awesome woman," Chin said. "What did she do?"

If I had been an animal, my ears would have perked up as I sat there waiting for any piece of intel they would give.

It was Allie that answered after she swallowed a drink of her wine. "She was an art consultant. Travelled all over the world to authenticate pieces, helped aspiring artists get noticed… that kind of thing."

"Oh, that's how you have so many contacts in the art world," Kono said.

"That would be it," Kol agreed.

The conversation turned to everyone else's parents and even I partook in the sharing; it was only fair, after all. After a while, the dinner plates were cleared away and dessert was brought out.

"Oh my God," Kono groaned after her first bite of cake. "This is amazing! How do you guys do this? Who taught you to cook?"

"We picked up some things growing up from all kinds of different people," Kol answered her. "I mostly grill, though. Stick me in a kitchen and I _might_ make you a grilled cheese."

"You could execute a recipe," Allie disagreed with her brother. "You're just not so great with the ingenuity away from the grill."

"Allie, however, is the ingenuity _queen_ ," Kol said, toasting his sister with his beer bottle. "Give her some ingredients and she can create something fabulous. Hell, she even alters every recipe she gets to make it even better. I don't know how she finds the time to perfect that skill, but she obviously has. You should taste her lemonade."

"Maybe when you get back into town, we can all get together again and you can grill," Chin said to Kol.

"Only if Allie makes this cake again," Kono said as she served herself another piece. "I can't get over how perfect it is."

"You know what would _really_ make the evening perfect?" Danny asked and I saw him looking over to the shelf off to the side of the dining room. "I see that you have some playing cards and some poker chips. I, myself, happen to be an _excellent_ poker player, and even Grace here knows how to play a little bit."

Kono and Allie exchanged a look so brief, I would have missed it if I hadn't been looking.

"Uh, sure," Allie said. "Anyone else in?"

"I actually need to get going," Kol and Allie's friend, Garrison, said as he stood up from the table. "But thank you so much for having me over."

Everyone said goodbye, and then Chin stood as well. "I'm going to get going, too. Kono?"

"I'm going to play," she decided.

"Me, too," Kol said. "Right after I clear the plates."

"I'll help with that, and then I'm in," Allie said and they moved to start clearing the plates.

"I'm in," I agreed when all eyes turned to me.

The chips were divided up, an amount was named for each color, and the cards were shuffled. Danny dealt first, and his came of choice was Texas Hold 'Em. I folded immediately, but everyone else stayed in. Kono folded after the first card and Grace after the second.

And then it was only Kol, Danny, and Allie.

Kol ended up folding after the next card, leaving only Danny and Allie.

They were locked in a deadly betting war for a while.

And my night was made when Allie won when her straight was one number higher than Danny's.


	10. Tell Me Something I Don't Know

… **..**

 **Wow! My last goal was 50 reviews and I now have 56! That means that I get to post two chapters today! You guys are so awesome.**

 **I am proud to announce that I have actually finished writing ALL of the chapters for this story! Don't be too impressed, though; it was actually really easy once I got going. And before you ask… no, I'm not going to tell you how many chapters there are going to be. Because then you would know that the end is coming and I couldn't shock you. BUT I** _ **would**_ **like opinions on whether I should write a sequel, or just include a part two to the end of this story. Let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you all so much for the reads, reviews, favorites, follows, and private messages. I appreciate you all so much.**

 **Happy reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Ten: Tell Me Something I Don't Know_

Steve

Danny was staring at Allie from across the table, his stare so heated that I was kind of amazed she hadn't burst into flames yet. Then again, she appeared so cool that flames probably couldn't have touched her, anyway. As far as poker faces went… Allie's was the best I'd ever seen.

Grace had folded long ago and had played with Gideon for a bit before she'd fallen asleep on Allie's couch. Not long after that, Kono had said that she needed to go because her boyfriend was flying in early the next morning and she was supposed to pick him up at the airport. Kol was the next one to leave, claiming that he was too tired to continue, even though he'd been doing rather well (his chips had been divided evenly among the remaining three players).

I had lost all of my chips two games before and, now, I was just waiting to see who would be victorious. Allie's game of choice had been Seven Card Stud, and it had been intense from the very beginning. They'd both been dealt one face card each – a king for Danny and an ace for Allie. Their other cards were just regular numbers with no matching suit.

They were at the very end of the game, and Allie had already made her final bet.

Danny continued to stare, but finally spoke. "I don't think that you hit the flush. You would need all of the cards in your hand to be hearts."

"I'm aware," she replied, voice calm and even. "Are you going to call, or are you going to fold?"

After a moment's deliberation, Danny pushed all of his chips to the center. "I'm all in. You're bluffing."

"Okay," Allie said, still not reacting. "I'm in. Show me your cards."

"Not until your chips are in the middle," he disagreed, as if this was a hostage negotiation instead of a card game.

"Seriously, Danny?" I asked him incredulously. "Just show her your cards. She called."

But he was adamant. "That's not how it works, Steve. What do you even know? You only made it so far because other people quit and kept giving you more chips. The rule is: if someone is all in, the other person has to count out that many chips and put them in the pot in order to call."

"Oh my God," I groaned and began to argue, but Allie held up a hand and stopped me.

"It's fine. He's just prolonging the inevitable." She started to count out her chips, completely ignoring Danny as he said that he was _not_ prolonging the inevitable, he just wanted to "play the game right". Finally, she had counted out the correct number of chips and pushed them towards the center with all of the others. "Good?"

Danny nodded his approval. "Good." And then he showed his cards. "I hit my straight. Ha!" His eyes glowed with his perceived victory. "Don't feel too bad. I-"

"Just a second there," Allie said as Danny started to rake in his chips. "Doesn't a flush beat a straight?"

It was like all of the blood instantly drained out of Danny's face. "What did you say?"

"Yeah, that flush you thought I was bluffing about?" Allie tossed three hearts onto the table. "Not bluffing. So… I believe _these_ ," she put her arms around the pile of chips, "are _mine_." And then she raked them right out of Danny's arms as I looked on in laughter that I couldn't control.

"Shut up," Danny told me and then stood. "It's just that it's late and it's hard to… to focus when it's… late. We should be going. I'll grab Grace and then be out of your hair." He left the kitchen while I was still laughing.

"Not a bad night," Allie said as she began to put the chips back into their metal container. "Too bad this isn't Vegas and these chips aren't real. I'd be sitting on a week's pay right now."

I laughed as I grabbed the playing cards and began to put them back into their box. "You're good. Where did you learn to play?"

"From my uncle. He was over all the time and he wasn't really into hide and seek, so he taught us cards. We started with Blackjack and my mother was furious, until he argued that it was actually a very good way to teach addition."

I felt myself grin. "That's not a bad argument. _Fast_ addition, at that."

"Well, my dad didn't mind, and so Uncle Edward kept teaching us. I was his most eager student and we played all of the time. He taught me everything that he knew and the rest is history."

"Have you ever gone to Vegas? Tried out your skills at any casinos?"

"I've been to a few casinos, but I don't play much. I'm on a cop's salary, after all."

"Technically, you're getting paid what a detective gets paid," I reminded her and closed the box of cards. "You want some help with the dishes?" It was the least I could do after she'd fed me dinner, dessert, and beer. _Good_ beer, at that, though she had claimed that Kol had picked out the beer because she was more of a wine girl.

She seemed surprised by the offer but nodded. "Sure." She closed the lid on the chips and then put them away with the cards. "Let's get to scrubbing."

Allie

Steve had offered to help me with the dishes, which I thought was odd, but I didn't protest. If he wanted to fish for information while he was scrubbing dishes, I'd let him. At least I wouldn't have to do it all by myself.

"I guess you could just leave these for tomorrow," he said as he looked at the pile-up near the sink.

I laughed. "You definitely don't have to help out if you don't want to, but I won't be able to sleep if I know that these dishes are down here." Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was already midnight. "And I get up at five to run, so I need to hustle and get it done."

"Well, good thing two is better than one. Where do you want me?"

"Ah, _I_ get to be the commander." It was probably just the five glasses of wine that I'd had throughout the night, but I was in a joking mood. Definitely the wine.

He smiled. "Only in your kitchen."

"Fair enough. You wash, and I'll dry and put away."

"Sounds fair." He took his place and turned on the water, waiting for it to get warm before he grabbed the dish soap and the first plate. "Thanks for having me over. It definitely beat the frozen pizza I would have had for dinner."

"I think a _bologna sandwich_ would have beat a frozen pizza for dinner."

He laughed. "Yeah, maybe. Do you cook a lot?"

"I try to. I like to try and eat as healthily as I can. But with this job… I've found myself swinging through a drive thru more than once." A lot, actually. Especially for lunch because I had yet to buy myself a mini fridge to keep in my office.

"Well, at least you have some variety in your life," he told me as he handed me another plate. "I eat at Kamekona's too much. I need to spice it up with some chicken every once in a while. Or a _steak_."

"Kol could grill you a steak." I put the plate away and waited for the next one. "He loves to grill and it's not often that he has the opportunity to do it for more than just himself. When we were growing up, there were always _at least_ six of us at the table. It gets lonely, eating alone."

"Yeah," he said, almost sadly. "I know what you mean. My mom always used to cook dinner for my dad, my sister, and me."

"And then what happened?"

He scrubbed a stubborn fleck for longer than was necessary and didn't look at me as he answered, "She was killed in a car accident when I was sixteen."

I remembered seeing that when I'd looked into him. But it really wasn't my business. "I'm so sorry."

It was like he hadn't even heard me as he handed me the plate and continued. "She was late for dinner and that's how I knew that something was up. And then the officer came to the door and I just… I knew. Not long after that, my father moved me to the mainland to go to the military academy. Mary, too, but she went to live with our aunt."

"That must have been hard."

"It was."

We worked in silence for a few minutes and then he said, "So, what does Kol do when he's not leading high speed chases and conning his way into a criminal gang?"

And there it was. I smiled at him as I began drying the dish he'd just handed me. "More fishing, Commander?"

He shrugged and fought a smile. "Habit, I guess."

"What is it you want to know about?" I asked him and almost laughed at the surprise on his face. "No, I'm serious. If you were to get right down to the root of your mistrust of me, what would you say?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "I guess that I don't know you. The governor never asked me for my opinion; he just placed you on my task force, where we go out every day and put our lives on the line. He doesn't understand that, but I sure as hell do and I know that you do, too. I never got a chance to get to know you before I was asked to trust you."

The plate that he was holding had been under the water long enough, so I reached over and gently took it from him, holding eye contact. "But the questions that you asked me aren't going to help you _know_ me. You're asking about what I did for the CIA. You're trying to figure out if my brother ever worked for them, too. But the CIA, bomb squad, White Collar Crime, State Department… those were all just _jobs_. Not who I am."

"It's a _part_ of who you are," he argued, but I could see that he was still processing my words, evaluating them.

"One of the smallest parts. Who I am is who I _choose_ to be. When I come home, I choose not to be a member of Five-O. I choose not to be a girl with a past with the CIA. Because those things aren't really that important."

He finished washing the last dish and handed it to me. "Okay… I can kind of buy that, I guess."

"Let's put it this way." I put the dish away and then turned to face him, leaning back against the counter as I tossed the towel aside. "In my opinion, anything that you can find in a file is not a true reflection of a person's inner self. For example: anyone could do a little research and find out that I'm a part of Five-O. But I don't think that anyone could do research and find my favorite song. I'd rather know those types of things about a person than their job history any day of the week."

The look in his eyes told me that he could see my point. Maybe he was even starting to agree with me. "I think I get it." He took up a pose much like mine, right across from me. Crossing his arms across his broad chest, he smiled at me. "So, what is it?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Your favorite song," he clarified. "What is it?"

" _Once Upon a December_ from _Anastasia_."

"I don't think I've ever heard it."

I felt myself perking up almost exactly like Gideon did when it was time to be fed. "Well, then you're in for a treat. Let's go outside so the music doesn't wake Kol."

He followed me out the back door and then I waved for him to sit in one of the outdoor chairs that I had sitting on the porch. He sat down and I perched myself on the railing before starting up the song.

The voice that began to sing was beautiful, and I felt myself getting lost in the music. " _Dancing bears, painted wings… Things I almost remember. And a song someone sings, once upon a December. Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memory…"_

Once the song had ended, I looked to Steve and could just make him out in the dim glow of the lights I'd turned on as we'd walked out. I couldn't quite figure out his expression, but it held a smile. "That was pretty. You really like that song."

"My favorite. What about you? What's _your_ favorite song?"

"Well, I prefer The Rolling Stones over The Beatles," he teased me, "but I don't have a favorite song. I'll listen to whatever is on. Danny is the picky one. You should hear him in the car when he doesn't like a song that comes on. Instead of just asking me to pick a new station, he has to give a three minute commentary about why the song is terrible. By then, it's over and he's free to rag on the next song."

I laughed at the image, because I could totally see Danny doing that. He wasn't one to keep his opinions to himself. "What about a movie?"

"I like _Black Hawk Down_."

Typical. I rolled my eyes. "Of course you do."

He looked offended. "It's a classic."

I laughed. "It is _definitely not_ a classic. _The Sound of Music_ is a classic."

He made a face. "I'm guessing that's _your_ favorite."

"Ever since I was a little kid. I wanted to be able to sing like Julie Andrews. I still wouldn't complain if that did end up happening, but I highly doubt it. I can do alright in the shower, but I don't have a future in theater."

"Favorite color?" he asked me.

Thankful that we were having a conversation without any tension, I said, "Purple. It's the color of royalty, you know. And also, the color that my favorite Ninja Turtle wore, which is actually the _real_ reason that I chose it."

His laughter was loud and full, and I couldn't help but laugh, too. " _You_ were into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?"

"Don't make fun!" I said. "My older brothers watched it all of the time and it grew on me."

"Why was Donatello your favorite?"

I could _feel_ my eyes light up as I pointed at him accusingly, laughing. "You watched it, too!"

If it hadn't been so dim out there, I bet I could have seen him blushing. "I mean, yeah. It was always on TV, so…"

"Donatello was my favorite because he fought with a staff," I answered. "Who was _your_ favorite?"

"Leonardo. He was tactical and kind of the leader."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

"Enough of that," he said. "What's your favorite… flavor of ice cream?"

"Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey." At his face of disgust, I said, "There's some in the freezer right now, if you want to check it out. It's delicious."

"I'll pass. I'm a plain chocolate kind of guy."

"Clearly, you need to branch out more."

He didn't respond to that. "Next question. Umm…" He thought for a few moments. "What is your favorite… animal?"

"Dogs. German Shepherds, specifically."

"I've been meaning to ask you how you came to own Gideon."

"He was a stubborn puppy that the CIA was trying to train. He was super smart, but he had a mind of his own. They were going to kick him out of the training program and have him adopted out, but I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him and I convinced one of the trainers to help me keep him. He helped me train him and everything. And he's been with me ever since."

"I'm not really a big animal person," he told me. "I think it's because my parents weren't. I didn't have any pets growing up."

"Not even a goldfish?"

He shook his head. "Not even _any_ fish. My dad said that if I wanted to see fish, I could just go down to the beach."

I laughed. "Did you surf?"

"Still do, whenever I have the chance."

I could easily picture him out there on a board, riding the waves as they came.

The image was broken up as he said, "What about your other brothers? Are they like Kol?"

I laughed. "We're all pretty different. I think Kol and I are the most alike, for obvious reasons. My oldest brother, Michael, is pretty serious, super intelligent, and takes his job as the eldest very seriously. Trent is an artist, brooding and serious as they come. And Max is… Max. There's really not a good way to describe him. He does what he wants, when he wants. And he's always sort of been a trouble maker."

"Sounds a lot like my sister, Mary."

"Well, don't say that we should get them together. Max's longest relationship lasted a week. He's not one to get tied down by anything, even love. In fact, he _sprints_ away at the first sight of it."

"Mary is kind of the same way," he said. "They probably wouldn't be any good together."

"No," I agreed.

He was silent, but stared at me for a while.

I held his gaze evenly.

Finally, he said. "This has actually been nice. I think you were right about jobs not being the most important thing about a person. I feel like I've gotten to know you better just in the last ten minutes."

I didn't fight my smile. "Good."

Steve

I couldn't believe it, but I actually felt okay with Allie after the conversation that we'd had on the porch. It hadn't been at all about her time in the CIA – other than when she'd told me that she'd obtained Gideon from the CIA – but I felt like I knew her so much better.

Maybe I could learn to trust her, after all.

"Well," I said as I stood up. "I think I've taken up enough of your evening. Or…" I glanced at my watch. _12:33._ "Your morning, I guess."

She laughed and hopped down from the bar. "Don't worry about it. I enjoyed it."

"So did I," I said, and I really meant it. "I guess I'll see you at work."

"That's a pretty good prediction." She followed me inside and even to the front door.

"You don't have to walk me out," I told her with a smile.

She shrugged. "I'd have to anyway. To lock the door."

"Oh. Right." For about the fifth time that evening, I was overwhelmed by how nice she looked tonight. But, I shook the thought away and put my hand on the doorknob. "Good night, Allie."

She took one step closer. Not so close that we were touching, but close enough that I could see her pupils. They were slightly dilated, likely from the transition of dark to light. Wait… that wasn't right. The opposite would have happened. "Good night, Steve."

As I stared into her eyes, the strangest sensation suddenly filled me. It was similar to adrenaline, but also different in a way that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Whatever it was, it was overwhelming and I wasn't comfortable with it.

It took most of my inner strength, but I ripped myself out of its grasp and opened the door, which seemed to break the spell only slightly. "Lock up behind me," I said, which was a stupid thing to say because she'd already told me that that's exactly why she'd followed me to the door.

Before I could make an even bigger fool of myself, I walked out and shut the door behind me. Once in my truck, I let out a long, shaky breath.

And the farther away from her I got, the clearer my head seemed to become.


	11. The Truth About Faith

… **..**

 **It's Friday, and you know what that means… mandatory update! My new goals are: 70 reviews, 25 favorites, or 40 followers.**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! Since I'm all through writing (and most of the way done with my editing), I've had to start setting reminders so that I'll remember to update the story. I'll take it, though, because that means I'm done (aside from a little more editing)!**

 **Big thanks to all of you that have reviewed, favorited, followed, private messaged, and read. I appreciate all of you so very much, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Reminder: I do not follow the storyline of Hawaii Five-O. I just use the characters and the premise.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eleven: The Truth About Faith_

Steve

The call came in on Sunday morning at eleven-thirty, just as I was finishing my bowl of cereal. I swallowed my bite and then answered, pressing the phone to my ear. "McGarrett."

The governor's tone was clipped and worried, which put me on high alert instantly. "McGarrett, I need you and your team to respond to a shooting immediately. It was at a small church on Oahu. Right off the highway. How soon can you get everyone together?"

"I'll make the calls and we should be there within an hour."

"Make it less," he ordered and hung up. Seconds later, I received a text with the address. For the governor to get involved, it had to have been pretty bad.

My first call was to Danny, who told me that he just needed to drop Grace off at Rachel's and then he would be on his way. Chin said that he could be there in thirty minutes. Kono didn't sound happy about having to leave her boyfriend since he was only here for a short time, but once she heard about the situation, she said that she was on her way.

That only left Allie, and I found myself staring at my phone, my thumb hovering over her name in my address book. _Just click her damn name and call her. What's your problem?_ "I don't know," I answered myself and then finally pressed her name.

She answered on the fourth ring. "You calling on a Sunday can't be good news. We have a case?"

Something about her voice froze me to the spot, but I recovered quickly and cleared my throat. "Uh, yeah. Governor just called it in. There was a church shooting this morning. I'll send you the address. Or… or I can pick you up. I just need to put on shoes and then I'm heading out. It's kind of off the beaten path, so…" Why was I even explaining myself to her?

"Sure," she agreed, just as I was about to rescind my offer. "I was out doing some training with Gideon, so I need to run in and change clothes real quick. See you in a few minutes."

The line went dead and I just stared at my phone for a few minutes, cursing myself for being such an idiot. That night at Allie's house had changed things for the better, certainly. I felt like I knew her a little better and, therefore, trusted her more. But it had also left this strange atmosphere behind – a hangover that wouldn't go away.

"Time to focus," I told myself sternly and went to the front door, pausing only long enough to pull on my boots and tie them securely. Then, I hopped into my truck and headed for Allie's house, wondering why I couldn't have just let her drive herself. She had GPS, surely.

She must have seen me pull in, because I hadn't even parked my truck yet when she came out the front door, waving before she locked it behind her. While she was turned, I took a moment to study her, hoping that I could get to the bottom of what was going on.

Her dark hair was pulled up – per usual – in a high ponytail that was flapping gently in the light breeze. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a green tee, paired with those black boots that were both fashionable and practical. According to Kono, anyway.

Moments later, Allie was sliding into the passenger seat of my truck, giving me a friendly smile as she buckled up. "Hey. Do we know anything yet?"

I put the truck in reverse and pulled out of her driveway. "Not yet." With a nod at the rental car still there, I asked, "Is Kol still here?"

"He flies out tonight. Last flight of the day, actually. He claims it helps him fall asleep faster once on the plane."

"He can actually _sleep_ on a flight?" I had trouble sleeping on planes or, really, _anywhere_ in public. I couldn't trust people.

She laughed. "Kol can sleep _anywhere_. He claims it's a talent."

"Mind if I turn on some music?"

She shook her head. "Go for it."

Eighties music began to play as I flipped the dial and when I asked her if it was okay, she simply began to sing along. I took that as a yes. Her voice was pleasant… not one of those really strong, high voices but just… nice. When I told her as much, she laughed, leaving me to wonder what was so funny.

We arrived at the crime scene twenty minutes later and it was absolute chaos. There were at least ten police cars there, all of them with their lights flashing. Two ambulances were also parked there, and I could see the paramedics moving from group to group, checking to see if anyone else was injured or needed help. Likely, the seriously wounded had already been transported to the hospital.

HPD officers were milling about, talking to people and taking notes, trying to figure out what had happened. And when I saw Max kneeling by a black tarp, I knew that there had been some fatalities.

"These people were just trying to attend church. They weren't bothering anybody."

I looked over to see Allie surveying the scene with her keen eyes, her expression one of supreme sadness.

"Yeah," I answered her softly and when she looked at me, I knew that she saw her sadness reflected. Innocent people never deserved to get hurt like that. "Let's go."

As we stepped out of my truck, Chin and Kono pulled up in Kono's red car. I sent them to start talking to some of the people and the HPD officers to see if they could get a handle on what had happened. Then, I waved for Allie to follow me over to where Max was examining a body. As we got closer, we could see that there were actually _three_ bodies.

I took the lead. "What do you see, Max?"

He looked up at me and nodded. "Steve. Allie. It appears that each of these victims died from GSWs. Two of them have entry wounds on the back, and one on the front."

"So, the shooter came in and didn't even try to get anyone's attention first. He just started shooting," Allie concluded.

"That would be my guess," Max agreed. "These are the only three fatalities, but they transported fifteen to the hospital for injuries. A few are in critical condition and not expected to make it through the night."

"Were the shots through and through?" I asked him.

He nodded. "There are some crime scene techs inside gathering up the bullets and shell casings to put into evidence."

Danny approached from the side and I called out to him before he reached us. "Go inside and have a look around. Tell the techs that you want all of the evidence sent over to Charlie Fong as quickly as they can get it there."

He nodded and trotted up the steps into the church building.

Allie was staring down at the bodies, expression somber. I knew that there were all kinds of things running around in her head, but she didn't voice them. What I was _most_ curious about was why I so desperately _wanted_ her to.

"Let me know if you find anything else during the autopsy," I told Max.

He nodded as he straightened and pulled off his latex gloves. "I will, but I don't expect there to be anything unusual about them. It's pretty straightforward."

"What do we know about the victims?" Allie asked him.

He pointed to each one as he spoke their names. "Douglas Carter, Amanda Weise, and Bradley Weise. They were all regular churchgoers and always sat on the back pew to the right. HPD ran their backgrounds, but there was nothing to indicate that any of them were the target all along."

"I'm going to have Kono check anyway," I said and took out my phone to text her. "Thanks, Max."

"Commander," he said and then walked away to get some help loading the bodies up.

"What do you want me to do?" Allie asked me, and her expression had changed to one that I suspected was determination, mixed with some anger.

"Go help Danny case the inside." It would keep her as far away as possible from the dead bodies and the witnesses, most of whom were still sobbing as they recounted their tales.

She nodded and within moments, disappeared inside. I watched for a moment before I moved off to start talking to people on my own. As luck would have it, I ran into the preacher first, an older man with white hair, glasses, and blood staining his suit.

"Commander Steve McGarrett with Five-O," I said as I shook his hand. "What can you tell me about what happened today?"

He let out a breath, tension heavy in every line of his face. "I was getting up to give my message and all of a sudden, there were shots. I turned and saw a masked man walking in from the back, carrying a large gun. He was just shooting at random. People were screaming…" His hands began to shake and he rubbed a hand over his face to wipe away sweat that was from fear, not the sun. "I yelled at everyone to get down and it was over what felt like _hours_ later."

"Did you hear anything else?" I asked him, trying to tread lightly because this guy had just experienced a heavy trauma. And eyewitness accounts were typically unreliable, anyway, so I wouldn't be making my whole case on what he told me.

"No, I didn't hear anything else. There was so much going on and it all happened so fast…"

"It's okay," I assured him. "You've been a big help. Are there any security cameras inside, per chance?"

He shook his head. "We've never needed security cameras or even a basic security system. This church has been standing for seventy years. I grew up attending here with my parents… Nothing bad has ever happened here before."

 _It only takes one time_ , I thought, but just thanked him for his help and moved on to the next person. For the most part, each person's story had the same basics – one shooter, most likely a male, wearing a mask. No one had heard him open his mouth to say anything, but that wasn't all that surprising. Anybody that would have been close enough to hear over the gunshots would have been sitting in the back, and most of those were dead or in critical condition.

Chin and Kono didn't look like they were having much luck, either, and the churchgoers slowly began to leave one by one. After giving us a report of what they'd gotten – which didn't vary from what we'd found ourselves – HPD officers began to leave the scene as well, followed by the crime scene techs, who told us that they had all of the evidence and pictures that they needed, so we were free to walk around the scene.

Danny and Allie were still inside, and I asked them for an update once we had joined them. Allie crossed her arms and let Danny take the lead.

"The bullets found were from an assault rifle – the techs decided it was an AR-15. There were bullets, shell casings, and blood splatter, but none of the shooter's DNA was found."

"It wouldn't be," Kono said. "According to the witnesses, the guy was wearing all black, gloves and a mask included. No one could distinguish anything about him."

"Crime scene techs _did_ find tire tracks that seem to have pulled in and out very quickly. They made a cast and I told them to get it to Charlie as soon as they got back. Until we get that, I don't think we have anything else to go on."

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck as the tension began to build there. "Okay. Let's head back to HQ and hopefully Charlie will have something for us by the time that we get there."

One by one, the team exited the building.

Except for Allie, who had slipped quietly into a pew and was sitting there, staring straight ahead. There was no expression on her face.

Quietly, I slipped in beside her. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah." But there was nothing convincing about the way that she said it, and she didn't look at me. If she hadn't responded to my question, I would have thought that she didn't even know that I was there at all.

"Something about this case is bothering you." I kept all accusation out of my voice, but also didn't make it a question. "Are you a church person?" She hadn't been in church when I had called her this morning, but there were several explanations for that.

"No." She still didn't look at me and her voice was flat… almost dead. "I used to be, though. My mom thought that it was important. I guess you could say that I grew up on it. We never missed unless we were ill, no matter where we were."

"Why did you stop going?" There was always a reason when someone gave up their religion.

"I started working for the CIA." She stared down at her hands, folded in her lap, and her voice had grown quiet. "I saw things… terrible things. I still believed for a while, but… you can only see so much of that crap before you start to think that if there _was_ a God, he left mankind to its own devices a long time ago. The world is too terrible a place for there to be a God that is only good."

"What did your mom think about you quitting church?" I asked her. It wasn't even me investigating her; I just wanted to know more about her.

She shrugged and looked up at me finally, a small smile on her face. "I don't know. I didn't get a chance to ask her." Before I could ask her to clarify, she stood. "We should get going so that we can meet the others at HQ."

I decided not to push it. "Let's go, then."

And we left the horrible crime scene behind.

Allie

When Steve pulled off of the main road, I frowned over at him. "This isn't the way to HQ."

"No," he agreed, the hint of a smile on his face. "This is the way to my favorite shaved ice stand. Kamekona actually owns it, but he never spends time here anymore since he got his shrimp truck."

"Why are we stopping for shaved ice?"

"You don't like shaved ice?" he asked me, his tone teasing.

"I do," I answered him. "But I thought we needed to get to HQ."

"Just a quick stop. We each grab a small and then we go. They'll never miss us."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"About why we're stopping?" When I nodded, he answered, "Because my mom always used to take me to get shaved ice when I was upset. She said that no one could be upset while eating shaved ice."

"You think I'm upset?" He wasn't wrong.

He shrugged. "Just a feeling."

We parked and then walked up to the shaved ice stand, where the worker greeted Steve by name and asked him if he wanted his usual strawberry with cream.

"Please," Steve told him and then indicated me. "And whatever she wants."

"I can pay for my own," I protested.

"That's not how this works," he argued and gently pushed me forward. "I recommend getting cream in whatever flavor you choose, though. Takes it right over the top."

I finally decided on birthday cake with cream, and we stepped to the side to wait and let the people behind us order.

"Thank you," I told him.

"Don't thank me yet," he teased. "You haven't tasted your shaved ice yet. It could be terrible."

"Nah, I trust you."

And as good as I was at reading people, there was still something in his expression that I couldn't decipher. "Good."

Our treats were handed to us only moments later and then we were heading back for the truck while Steve warned me that if I got even a _speck_ of shaved ice on the interior, I would be responsible for deep cleaning the entire thing.

I could tell that he wasn't joking, so I was extremely careful as I took tentative bites of my delicious shaved ice, making a note to visit the stand more often. And to build in an extra run on the days that I visited.

Back at HQ, we found the team standing near the big screen, looking at something that appeared to have just come in.

Before we could ask what it was, Danny held his arms out and looked at us disbelievingly. "Are you serious? You told us to meet you here at HQ and you two went and got shaved ice?!"

"You could have stopped, too," Steve told him and tossed his empty cup into the nearby trashcan. "I didn't say to come here _directly_. You need to pay more attention."

Kono jumped in before Danny could start to yell. "Charlie examined all of the evidence, including the tire tracks found. They're from a late model Toyota Camry. And, bonus for us, they're relatively new."

"Meaning that our guy just bought these tires not too long ago," Chin finished.

"Alright, I want everyone talking to tire shops in the area. We need to get a list of everyone that brought their cars in recently to get new tires," Steve said.

"That could literally be _hundreds_ of people," Danny argued. "It's a dead end. We don't have that kind of time."

"We don't have any other leads," Steve shot back. "Are we supposed to just sit on our hands and wait for another shooting?"

"We don't have to wait," Kono said, staring at her phone with a look of shock on her face. "There was another one just now at a church that has early afternoon services."

Steve spat out a curse and told her to text us all the address.

"Why would someone be doing this?" I asked him as we took off in his truck, the others right behind us. "You target banks for the money, marijuana shops for the pot, pharmacies for the drugs… what's the point of targeting a church?"

"I don't know," he sighed and made a hard right turn that almost lifted me out of my seat. They had invented seat belts because of people like Steve McGarrett. "It could be some whack job that's mad at God."

"So, he's shooting _humans_? People don't have any control over what God does."

"God's creation," Steve said. "I really don't know. One thing's for sure, though… this wasn't a one-time job. He's going to keep hitting churches until we stop him."

"How are we going to do that?" I wondered. "Stake out churches? How many churches _are there_ in Hawaii?"

His jaw tightened. "A lot," he admitted. "I don't know. But I would guess that he'll want to hit another church tonight, and not every single church has evening services."

"Maybe we could put in calls to church leaders and ask them to cancel services," I suggested.

He nodded. "That's a good start, but I don't think they'll be able to reach every single person. People will still show up."

"Then we post notices that they need to go home immediately."

"I just hope that doesn't provoke him," Steve sighed. "This guy is determined to shoot as many churchgoers as possible. If people stop going to church, who knows where he'll go to find his victims. And we can't just shut down the churches until we find this guy."

I remained silent and stared out the window as we sped along, dodging cars that pulled over too slowly. I was glad that they had no idea about the tragedy that had just unfolded… yet. Maybe some of them would be getting a call that their family member or friend had died in the shooting.

The thoughts were too morbid, so I shook them out of my head and steeled myself for the task ahead of me.


	12. Gentle Pushes and a Harsh Warnings

… **..**

 **You guys are so amazing! I need to start coming up with harder goals, because you already made this story reach 25 favorites! As promised, here is the next chapter. Remember, the next two goals are 70 reviews and 40 followers.**

 **Believe me, this chapter and the one before it were so hard to write. But, I wanted to give you guys some interesting cases and this came from an idea that I had while watching a show on CBS. I hope that it wasn't too much for anyone; I tried not to get too gory.**

 **Thank you for those of you that have read, reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. And also to those that have private messaged me. I appreciate you all very much.**

 **This is the last chapter about the church shooting, so I hope you enjoy!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twelve: Gentle Pushes and Harsh Warnings_

Allie

Though Alan Green had died in the shooting, I was thankful for his bravery. He had charged at the shooter and while struggling, he'd managed to pull the guy's mask off. And one of the churchgoers had recognized him before he had a chance to run away.

Charles Clayton was his name, and he'd recently done time for armed robbery, which explained how he would have had the connections to get a good assault rifle and ammo. While in prison, he had attacked a preacher that had come to speak to the inmates. His reasons for the attack were unknown – and the preacher had moved away after the incident – so there was no way to know what had caused his hatred for those that worshipped God. Nonetheless, we had to take him down.

SWAT had been called in to meet us at his house, and we all stood outside, waiting for Steve's orders. Finally, he gave them. "Okay, SWAT is surrounding the house, so there's no way that he can slip out the back. We've confirmed that his car is in the garage, so he's definitely home. SWAT is going to stay outside and provide us cover, and we're going in. Remember: this guy is armed, so don't let your guard down for even a second."

We all nodded and he motioned for us to move in on the house while SWAT also moved closer, finding positions to cover us from. At the door, Steve looked back to make sure that we were all in position behind him, guns at the ready. Once he was satisfied, he turned and kicked in the door before darting into the house. The rest of us followed at quick, measured paces.

All at once, everything about the situation hit me, just like back in my CIA days. The TV was on, the volume up much too loud. There was also a radio playing an Elvis song from somewhere towards the back. Water was running from the faucet in the kitchen. So many noises…

 _To cover up his movements_.

I walked towards the TV to turn it off and that's when a shadow moved next to me, coming from behind a large shelf. My body responded without thought and I dived into a roll just as the gun went off, sending bullets flying over me.

I saw his knees and kicked as hard as I could, hearing a satisfying crunch as he cried out and fell, bringing the gun down as he did. I tried to deflect it, but the butt of it still hit me in the head. Black and glowing spots danced before my eyes, but I still managed to grab the gun and begin trying to wrestle it away.

Shots were fired.

And then the man on top of me grew limp and his weight fell onto me, the gun pressed between us. I gasped for breath until he was pulled away and someone knelt beside me, their voice muffled as they called my name.

Slowly, almost one at a time, the black spots began to clear and I saw Steve kneeling beside me, concern in his eyes. He was talking, but his voice was too muffled for me to understand. I tried to shake my head to tell him that I couldn't understand, but that sent a shooting pain through my head that was almost worse than the hit from the gun.

Steve's hand came down onto my shoulder and he shook his own head, probably trying to tell me not to move.

 _No problem_. I just laid there with my eyes closed, fighting nausea, as my hearing slowly began to come back. Next thing I knew, paramedics were there, one on each side of me.

"Can you tell me your name?" One of them asked me as he started to hook me up to an IV while the other one bandaged my head.

"Allie Rhodes." I'd had concussions before; I knew which questions were coming. "I'm not allergic to any medications and I _do_ remember what happened. How bad is my head?"

It was the other, younger man that answered. "You're definitely going to need stitches, and I'm guessing you have a concussion. Your partners say that you didn't lose consciousness, though, so that's a good sign. I'm all done here; let's get you loaded up."

They gently pulled me onto a stretcher and as they began to wheel me out, I called for Steve. He was there a moment later, worry in his eyes. "Hey, what is it? What do you need?"

"Kol," I told him. "He's still at my house. Can you bring him to the hospital for me, please?"

"Yeah, I'll head over there right now," he promised me.

The paramedics gently pushed him back and then loaded me carefully into the ambulance. The doors closed, one of the paramedics sat on the bench beside me, and then the ambulance started moving.

"You're lucky you didn't get your head bashed in," the paramedic told me with a smile. "One of your partners said that it came down with a lot of force."

"Yeah, I…" But the dots had returned, bringing nausea and dizziness with them. "I…" 

"Hey." His tone was worried as he hovered me. "Are you okay?"

The darkness swallowed me before I could answer him.

Steve

I sped to Allie's house and then banged on the front door, which sent Gideon into a barking fit. A minute later, he had calmed down and Kol answered the door, frowning when he saw me.

"Why are you knocking like a man trying to get away from a murderer?" He leaned over to look around me and his frown deepened. "Where's Allie?"

"She's at the hospital." Before he could freak out, I filled him in. "While taking down a suspect, she got hit in the head with his rifle. The paramedics said she'll need stitches and she probably has a concussion, but she should be fine. She asked me to come and get you."

He nodded and stepped back into the house. "Let me set the security system and I'll come with you. I already returned the rental car, so I'll have to ride with you."

Once he was ready, I drove him to the hospital and we walked in together, heading for the desk. The woman there took our names, looked up Allie, and told us that she was getting a CT scan at the moment. She had a nurse take us to her room to wait on her.

Kol paced nervously while I stood near the window, arms crossed as I leaned against the wall, blaming myself. The guy had been hiding behind a shelf that was pulled out just enough to fit him. I had already moved through the living room and I should have seen it. Or I should have shot him before he could hit Allie with his gun.

Kono called and I answered. "Yeah?"

"How's Allie?" she asked me.

"She's getting a scan right now," I reported. "Did you guys find anything at the house?"

I must have been on speakerphone, because it was Chin that answered me. "A handmade map of church locations in the area. The two from today were circled, as well as one more."

So, he _had_ been planning to hit another one in the evening. Sick bastard. "Did we find anything to give us motive?"

"No, we have no clue why he was doing it," Danny said, "but the map alone is enough evidence, not to mention that his gun matches the shootings. There was nothing else of interest in the house."

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

"No problem," he answered me. "We'll take care of the paperwork, just keep us updated on Allie."

"Yeah, let us know if she needs anything," Kono said.

"Will do." I ended the call and filled Kol in.

"At least it wasn't for nothing," he muttered just as Allie was wheeled into the room by a nurse.

She seemed surprised to see us. "Hey. What are you guys doing here?"

Alarm bells sounded in my head. "You asked me to go get Kol and bring him here."

She frowned, thinking for only a moment before she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting things."

"It's normal," the nurse assured us with a comforting smile as she wheeled Allie right up to the bed. "We just did a scan and the doctor should be in to talk with you shortly about the results."

The nurse helped her into the bed while Kol and I stood and looked on, helpless. After she was comfortable, the nurse left and closed the sliding screen door behind her.

"Are there stitches under that bandage?" Kol asked her, pointing to the white bandage stuck to her forehead.

"Ten," Allie confirmed. "Sit down, both of you. Quit hovering."

Embarrassed, Kol and I took chairs.

"How did the case turn out?" Allie asked me after a minute of silence. "Was he really our guy?"

I nodded. "They matched his gun to the shootings and found a map with his targets circled. More cut and dry than our cases normally are."

"But with more deaths."

Yes, there was that.

"Let's talk about how this guy got the drop on you," Kol told his sister, only half teasing.

She shrugged. "I honestly don't remember much. My brain is probably blocking the traumatic memories."

"You did great," I assured her. "And it wasn't your fault. I went through that room before you did and I should have seen that the shelf was pulled out."

She shook her head. "Hey, it's okay. You couldn't have known. Things like this happen."

"I'm just glad you're okay."

Kol looked between us for a moment and then said, "Mind if I step into the hall and make a call to change my flight?"

Allie looked confused for a moment and then realization lit her blue eyes. "Oh, that's right! You're supposed to fly out tonight."

He waved away her concern. "Don't worry about it. Flights are easily changed."

"But you said that you had an important meeting tomorrow afternoon. You won't make it if you don't leave tonight."

Again, he waved her concern away. "That's not what I'm worried about right now. I need to stay here and make sure that you're okay."

"That's what doctors and nurses are for." He opened his mouth to argue again, but she cut him off. "Kol Alexander, since when have I needed anyone to look after me? I'll be fine. You should go."

"I can't go anyway," he told her victoriously. "I already returned the rental car since you were planning on driving me to the airport."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Allie looked to me. "Steve, can you drive Kol to the airport?"

"Umm…" Kol was shaking his head wildly, but Allie had me pinned down with a look so intense, I couldn't say no. "Sure."

"We need to teach you how to read body language," Kol said and then turned to Allie, his expression and tone very serious. "Are you sure you'll be okay if I leave?"

She scoffed at him. "If anyone can't take care of themselves, it's you. That's why I need someone responsible to make sure that you make it to the airport on time and with all of your baggage."

Kol appeared affronted. "I only brought one bag and, I'll have you know, it's already packed and waiting for me at your house."

"Then go and get it, and let Steve drive you to the airport. Please?"

He stared at her for a few long moments and then finally sighed. "Okay, fine. But call me day or night if complications develop, okay? And for the record, I'm still against this. I just think you'll make my life a living hell if I stay against your wishes."

She reached over and tapped his hand, as one would a small child. "Smart man."

"Handsome, too," Kol teased her and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Rest up and get to feeling better. Call me if you need anything."

"Get out of here," she said and waved him away.

I followed him out of the room and we were silent on the way to the house, where he ran in really quickly to grab his bag. He tossed it in the backseat and then climbed into the passenger side, buckling up as I reversed out of the driveway.

"She's going to be okay, right?" he asked me after a few minutes and I looked over to see him staring straight ahead but looking at nothing, much as Allie had done at the church.

"Yeah," I assured him. "She's going to be fine. I mean, it was a hard hit, but the paramedics were optimistic and the fact that they didn't rush her up to the ICU is good. She's tough."

The corner of his mouth pulled up in a small smile. "She's always been tough. I don't know… maybe it's because she grew up with four older brothers. We were pretty rough – normal guy stuff, you know – and she somehow always managed to launch herself right in the middle of it. Our father hated it because she was always his little princess, but our mother told him that Allie needed to be treated like anyone else. _'It's a man's world,'_ she used to say. ' _Let her learn to live in it.'_ He didn't like it, but he finally stopped being quite so… overbearing."

I waited, hoping that he would tell me more. And, after a few moments of silence, he did, still staring straight ahead, lost in his memories.

"She was always so clever. It didn't take her long to realize that we were bigger than her and naturally more muscular. She knew that she would never win against us by brute force alone, so she started sneaking out and learning martial arts. As many different kinds as she could. She started getting up at the crack of dawn to go for a run and training in every other way that she could." He let out a small laugh. "And then she started beating us and we knew that we were in trouble."

"She was good today," I said. "Her quick reflexes really saved her."

"I couldn't believe it when she went into the CIA. I didn't like it," he admitted. "She wasn't working as an assassin or anything, but it was still dangerous. I didn't like to think of her putting herself into danger like that. But she loved what she did."

"Are you worried about her being a part of Five-O?" I asked him, honestly curious.

He shrugged and thought for a moment. "She goes around rounding up criminals, so of course there's danger. But I know that she can take care of herself. She proved that today, even though it was a close call."

"You're a good brother."

"We were always the closest siblings, for obvious reasons. I literally can't remember a time when she wasn't with me. Of course, it helps that we're a lot alike. She's been a part of me for so long. Maybe that's why I get super crazy when she's hurt. I don't want to lose her."

"I'll do my best to ensure that doesn't happen while she's with Five-O," I assured him and meant it.

There was something behind that smile that I couldn't quite figure out. "Just while she's with Five-O?" he asked.

I was confused. "I'm not sure what you mean."

He shifted slightly in his seat so that he could look at me better. "Look, Commander, don't think I don't know there's something there between you and my sister."

I practically slammed on my brakes at the stoplight. "What?!"

He rolled his eyes at me. "What, you think I'm _blind_? She told me that you didn't trust her, and I was pretty sure that was true at first. But then… I don't know. Something changed, though. And tonight, in that hospital room with her, you looked just as worried as I was."

"I'm her commander," I argued. "Her boss. I'm worried because she's a part of my team. I would be that worried for _any_ member of my team that got injured."

"Okay." Kol didn't sound like he believed me and, for reasons I couldn't put my finger on, I felt like I needed to _make_ him believe me.

"I was mistrustful of her in the beginning, I'll admit. She was placed on my team suddenly and without my consent. So, yes, maybe I was a little hard on her in the beginning. But, I've since gotten to know her and I think that she's a wonderful addition to the team. That's probably the change that you're talking about."

"Okay."

I grit my teeth and forced myself to remain calm. He had managed to infuse so much doubt and accusation in those two little syllables. "Look, I don't know what you _think_ you've been seeing, but you haven't even been around us that much. I mean, you helped us with a case and I appreciate that…" I had lost my train of thought.

"And there was the dinner," he reminded me. "After which we played poker and then you stayed later than everyone else, helped my sister clean up dishes, and then went out to the back porch with her. She doesn't take anyone out to her sanctuary, so…"

Confused, I said, "You had gone to bed before that."

" _To bed_ doesn't mean _asleep_. I watched Netflix on my phone for a while and then came into the kitchen to get a glass of water. That's when I saw you two all nice and cozy out on the back porch."

"We weren't _cozy_ ," I said immediately.

"It _looked_ pretty cozy. You were both smiling and laughing. So, you obviously weren't telling each other how much you hate each other."

He was obviously reading into things a little too much, which I told him.

He shook his head. "You can ask Allie – I'm _very_ good at reading people and situations. I actually worked for the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI for a while. It was cozy."

I changed the subject. Because if I heard him say _cozy_ one more time in that smug tone, I felt like I was going to punch him directly in the face. And I didn't pull punches. "Why did you stop working for the Behavioral Analysis Unit?"

"I know what you're doing," he told me, but kept speaking before I could bother to deny it. "At the BAU, we dealt in all kinds of crazy. Like, we saw the worst of the worst. Lots of blood and gore and sick shit. I'd had it after a while. Had to get away and deal with my PTSD before I could do anything else."

"What do you do now?" I never had managed to figure out what he did for work.

He shot me another smug grin. "A little bit of this, a little bit of that. I guess you could call me a consultant, of sorts."

I knew that he wasn't going to give me any more detail than that, and I didn't really have time to dig because we were arriving at the airport. I pulled around to the drop-off zone and idled as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Safe flight," I told him.

He nodded very seriously. "Promise me you'll let me know if my sister somehow takes a turn for the worst, okay? I can hop on a private jet and be here within eight hours or less."

I was surprised. "You own a private jet?"

"No," he said. "But I know people that do. Promise?"

"I promise."

He nodded his approval and then reached behind him to grab his bag from the backseat. "And think some more on what I told you, okay? You can deny it all you want, but I actually think you'd be really good for Allie. And from what I've gathered about you, she'd be really good for you, too."

I shook the thoughts out of my head. "I'm not interested in a relationship. And we don't have anything going on."

The smug smile was back. "Whatever you say. But if you hurt her, I'm coming for you."

I didn't get a chance to respond because he melted into the crowd.


	13. Something There

… **..**

 **Again, you guys hit the goal! My next two goals are 30 favorites and 40 follows.**

 **Well, Kol is gone, which I'm actually kind of sad about because I really liked writing his character. He might be my favorite (yes, even though he's not a main character). I wanted to keep him around, but it would have messed up my plot and we can't have that now, can we?**

 **As always, I wanted to say a big thank you to those of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story and/or me. I appreciate each and every one of you and hope that you enjoy this newest chapter.**

 **As a forewarning: There is mention of Catherine in this chapter. The story that you will hear is different from what you've seen happen on the show. Just roll with it, okay? And I'm issuing an advanced apology to McRollins shippers, but I never liked their pairing (please don't hate me).**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Thirteen: Something There_

Steve

I pulled away from the airport thinking about everything that Kol had said. In particular, the part about me and Allie. He'd said that he was good at reading people and that it had been obvious to him that there was something different about my relationship with Allie. I would have explained that away by saying that I'd just gotten to know her better and now trusted her much more, but he'd explained it by saying that we should get together.

There were several problems with that. One was that I hadn't known her for that long. Another was that she'd told me that she'd been jumping around from job to job, and I didn't want to get left behind if she decided that she needed a different, more exciting job. And, lastly, I didn't think that I could ever have a fruitful relationship with someone whose real name was a mystery to me.

The last relationship that I had been in had been with Catherine Rollins, a lieutenant with Naval Intelligence. Smart, pretty, and resourceful, she'd been on the radar of many a Navy man that had crossed her path. We'd started as friends, but then it had blossomed into something more that had become something… complicated. We were together and then we would go through periods where it didn't really seem like we were together and then suddenly, we were together again. It had seemed like any time that one of us wanted to define the relationship, life got in the way – either I was deployed on a mission or she was transferred away for a while and wouldn't have an opportunity for leave in months.

I had fallen in love with her easily and had never regretted that, but I did regret not ending the relationship sooner. We would be trekking along just fine and then she would go away for a while and come back for short periods of time… I had finally gotten fed up and told her that I couldn't do it anymore. She hadn't known this, but I had actually bought a ring and had planned to propose to her. But then she'd told me that she was being transferred to the Middle East for a while and that's when I'd told her that I couldn't do it anymore.

I'd told her that I couldn't keep waiting around; if we wanted our relationship to work – _really work_ – then sacrifices needed to be made. I had just joined Five-O and had a much more stable life than being a Navy SEAL had allowed me. I'd told her that we could share that life together – that she could even come be a part of Five-O, if she wanted. Or she could have asked to be permanently stationed at Pearl Harbor.

But instead, she had told me that she couldn't. That she enjoyed her work too much and could never step down from it. She'd said that as much as she loved me, she loved her job more and she'd felt like I felt the same way about my own job. I'd tried to convince her, but she'd simply told me that she needed to get going to catch her flight. And when I'd told her that I wasn't going to wait around for her anymore, she'd merely nodded and said that while she'd always love me, it was for the best to end our relationship.

Allie wasn't necessarily hooked to one job, but she'd admitted that she liked to change jobs and learn new things. If I _did_ end up with her, there would always be the possibility that she would get bored with Five-O and want to move on to something else. And if she left me, I had a feeling that it would hurt even more than it had when Catherine had left, though I wasn't sure why I felt that way.

What I _did_ know was that it would be for the best if I kept my relationship with Allie strictly platonic. I'd enjoyed getting to know her better and I thought that she was a great person and clearly meant for law enforcement, but no good could come out of a relationship with her. We were a lot alike, just as Catherine and I had been. And look at how _that_ had turned out.

As if she'd known I was thinking about her, she called me. I almost wanted to decline the call and give myself space, but I knew that she was in the hospital and I needed to know if there were any updates. "Hey, Allie. I just dropped Kol off at the airport."

"I know," she told me. "He just called me to tell me that he was about to go through security. Hey, um, the doctor said that my scan is clear and since I'm feeling pretty good, he said that I can go home. I was just wondering if you minded giving me a ride home."

 _It's something you would do for any of the other members of your team_ , I told myself. "Yeah, of course. I'll be there in half an hour."

"Great. I'll get started on all of this discharge paperwork," she said and hung up.

I adjusted my course and headed for the hospital with a sigh. _Why do I feel like this is going to be a bad idea_?

Allie

"And remember to take it easy," Dr. Robbins told me in what I'm sure he meant to be a stern tone. Unfortunately for him, I'd been dressed down by commanders and bosses that made him look like some kind of rank amateur. Nonetheless, I nodded and pretended that I was hanging on his every word.

He continued. "There is a risk of post concussive syndrome, so I want you to keep an eye on your symptoms, especially headaches, difficulty concentrating, and vision problems. This is why it's especially important that you get plenty of rest and don't overdo it. I know that you're a very active person, but getting too active after such a serious head injury could cause some problems. I've already written you a note for work."

I made a mental note to toss that as soon as possible. No way was I going to just lounge around the house on bedrest.

"I've also written you a prescription for some painkillers, just in case the headache gets much worse. I'd try to take them with some food. Do you have any other questions for me?"

"No," I told him, refraining from shaking my head. Any sudden movement of my head caused pain that I didn't want to deal with. "Thank you."

"Is someone coming to drive you home?" he asked.

"Yes," I said at the same time as Steve, who had just walked through the door.

"I am," he told the doctor.

"Good," Dr. Robbins said. "She doesn't need to be driving. I told her to take it easy." He handed Steve the small stack of discharge papers. "There's a prescription in there for some painkillers and a note for work. She needs to be _resting_."

Steve nodded very seriously. "I understand. I'll make sure to remind her."

"Good." With a quick goodbye, Dr. Robbins left to check on his next patient.

"You don't seem too happy that he told me about the note for work," Steve told me with a small, teasing smile. "Were you planning to toss it and pretend that you were cleared?"

"Maybe."

"You were."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "How did you know?"

"Because it's what I would do. Are you really wearing those blood-stained clothes?"

I glanced down at the outfit I'd been wearing when I'd been attacked. "They're all that I have and I didn't have anyone to go to my house and get some."

"I would have gone."

"You don't have a key and you don't know the security code." 

"Fair enough." He stepped back to bring in the wheelchair that he'd brought to the door. "Hop on."

I groaned. "I don't need a wheelchair."

"The nurse insisted that you do. I don't think they'll let you leave unless you're in one."

"But I've been discharged!" I knew that I sounded like a whiny brat that wasn't getting the candy that she wanted, but I could hardly care. They'd been telling me what to do for the past few hours and I was sick of it.

Steve was exasperated. "You have a _head injury_. Just get in the wheelchair, I'll wheel you out to my truck, and then no more wheelchair. Possibly forever. Okay?"

It was a fair deal, but I was still irritated as I stood and eased myself into the chair, wincing as I did.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" he asked me.

"It's really just my head," I told him. "It feels like lead."

He gently turned the chair and began to wheel me out of the room. "Which pharmacy should we get this prescription filled at?"

"I don't take drugs."

"Meth and heroin, no," he said. "But this is just something for the pain. I promise that it's legal."

"It's not a legality issue." I found myself growing more and more irritable as he talked. Why was he arguing with me? "I just don't like to take medicine."

"Like… ever?" he asked me.

My nurse waved at me as we headed for the doors and I waved back. "No. Never."

"Cough syrup?"

"No. It's best to just cough everything up and get it out of there."

"Ibuprofen for headaches?"

"I don't get that many headaches, but no. Did you know that the majority of headaches that Americans get are due to simple issues like caffeine dependency or dehydration?"

"I'm sure you could even give me a statistic," he muttered. "What about when you have a fever? You don't take anything to get it down?"

"No. It's best to let a fever run its course. That's actually what fevers are _for_."

He rolled me out into the night and headed for wherever his truck was parked. "Have you _ever_ taken medicine?"

"Sure," I told him. "I did occasionally when I was a kid, but not as often as other kids because I hated doctors. I take birth control. But that's it."

He muttered something that sounded like 'that's good to know', but I didn't have the chance to ask him about it because he asked, "Why don't you take medicine?"

"Because I don't need it."

"Sometimes," he told me, "I think you're way too stubborn. Has anybody ever told you that?"

I almost laughed. "I've heard that once or twice, I think."

"Mmm," he said and stopped at the passenger side of his truck. "Here we are."

I didn't want his help, but I found that I had no choice because I got dizzy trying to pull myself up into the passenger seat. Finally, I was settled in and he went back into the hospital to return the wheelchair. Within a few minutes, he was back and we were driving away from the hospital.

"I let the team know how you were doing. They all said to let them know if you need anything."

I wondered when he'd had time to do that, but it took too much effort to think about, so I gave up. "That's nice of them."

"We're a family," he said. "We look out for each other. And you can take them up on that offer; they'd be happy to help."

"I'm not really one to ask for help."

He nodded. "I'm not, either, but sometimes, you need it. No one is going to think less of you for taking it easy for a few days. In fact, it's the best thing you can do. Have you ever had a concussion before?"

I laughed, which hurt my head, but I couldn't help it. "Of course I've had a concussion before. This is my sixth." I paused. "Or seventh… Either way, I've lived through plenty of them."

"Well, then I'm sure you know that you heal faster when you take it easy."

"I don't know," I admitted. "I've never taken it easy after a concussion."

He stopped at the light and glared at me, using his best stern commander voice. "Well, take it easy this time, okay? I need you back to work as soon as possible and I'm not letting you come back until you're medically cleared."

I felt anger flare through my body, heating me. "Seriously?!"

"Seriously." The light turned green and he depressed the gas. "Give it a few days and then go back in for an exam. By then, you should be feeling a lot better. But head injuries aren't something to mess around with. There was a guy that I served with… he was a damn good SEAL. Took a hit to the head one day and didn't think he needed to report it. Didn't think he needed to take it easy. He dropped dead that night."

"Probably from a _brain bleed_ , not a concussion," I pointed out. "They did a scan and I don't have any bleeding in my brain."

"But concussions can do some damage." He obviously wasn't going to give it up. "It's best to just relax and then come back when you're at a hundred percent. Because I don't need you chasing down perps and passing out."

He had a point, but I refused to concede. "I guess I don't really have a choice in the matter."

"No," he agreed. "You don't. When you bring me your medical clearance, you can work again."

Already, plans were circulating and I knew that I could come up with something. "Fine."

"So now you're mad at me?"

"I'm not mad." I pressed my fingers against my temples to ward off the oncoming headache. "It's just irritability. The doctor said that it's normal with concussions."

"Okay."

The rest of the ride passed in silence and when we got to my house, he came around to help me get out of his truck. I hadn't realized the toll that a simple car ride would take on me, but I was exhausted and slightly dizzy.

"Let me help you into the house," he said.

I wanted to protest, but I almost fell after my first step, so I thought that it was probably a good idea. "Okay. Just make sure I don't fall over."

He moved to my side and I felt one of his hands braced against my back, strong and steady. "No problem. Just take it slow."

I really had no choice but to take it slow because I was fighting dizziness every step of the way. I was worn out and needed to lay down and get some sleep. Things would be better when I woke up.

He unlocked the door for me and helped me inside, where I disarmed the security system with my ten-digit code as Gideon looked on stoically. "And I thought _my_ security was tight," he teased me.

I ignored that, because I was spending most of my energy to keep from passing out. "Thank you so much for driving Kol to the airport and bringing me home. I should let you go."

There was suspicion in his voice. "Are you going straight to bed?"

I gestured to the blood stains on my clothes. "I actually need to put these to soak and then I need to hop in the shower and wash this day off of me. And I need to feed Gideon. And _then_ I'll go to bed."

He shook his head and put his hand on my back again, taking my arm with his other hand to lead me forward. "You are going upstairs and you can take a quick rinse, and then you need to get to bed."

"Gideon," I protested as we began climbing the stairs. "And my clothes have to soak."

"Tell me how to do it and I'll do it," he said, helping me more than I wanted him to. "Where's Gideon's food?"

Good. That was something to focus on other than the dizziness and exhaustion. "It's in the pantry. In a clear plastic tub next to the trash can. He gets a full cup. And see if he has water."

"Okay, and how do you soak your clothes?"

"Laundry room is right off the kitchen." I had to force myself to breathe as we tackled the final few steps. "Put stain remover on the stains, rub it in, and then put it in that sink with warm water. It'll soak overnight and I can wash it tomorrow."

"Good. Which one is your bedroom?" We'd finally made it up the stairs, and I never wanted to go down them ever again.

"End of the hall." I pointed.

He helped me there and then watched as I gathered the clothes that I would need to put on after my shower. Then, he guided me towards the bathroom. "I'll wait on the bed, facing away. When you get out of the clothes, just throw them out the door and I'll take them downstairs to get them to soak. Take a quick rinse, put on pajamas, and then you can get in bed. Okay?"

"Very solid tactical plan, Commander," I told him and walked into the bathroom on my own, proud of myself for fighting the dizziness as long as I had. I'd always been determined, but it felt a little bit like a miracle. The day's events had taken so much out of me.

Getting out of my clothes was a challenge, but I managed it and then tossed them outside before closing the bathroom door and hopping into the shower. The warm water felt so good and I just stood there under the stream for several moments before I finally snapped out of it and began to wash my hair, careful around the edges of the bandage.

It was after I had applied body wash that I began to get dizzy.

 _Maybe I'd better sit down_.

I did so carefully and rested my head against the shower wall, ready to just break down and cry.

Steve

She'd been in there for too long. I had already fed Gideon, let him out, and put her clothes in the sink to soak, and she was still in there.

"Allie?" I knocked on the bathroom door and pressed my ear against the door.

"I'm fine," I heard her call back. "I just need a minute."

I paced the room for the next ten minutes until, finally, the door opened and she came out, a hand braced on the wall. Her wet hair had been pulled up into an extraordinarily messy ponytail and the T-shirt she wore was stained, but I thought that it was amazing that she somehow still looked incredibly beautiful.

 _Not appropriate_.

"Here, let me help you." I helped her over towards the bed and she sat down gingerly, wincing just a little bit.

"It feels good to not be moving," she tried to joke, but she just sounded worn out. She had to be beyond exhausted after her day.

Nevertheless, I smiled. "I'm sure it does. Get some rest, okay?"

And as I stood there staring down at her as she stared up at me, something in the air around us shifted. Something that I had never experienced before. It felt almost like a tension, but more… alive. Crackling and popping in the air all around us like static electricity.

"Okay," she finally said, and I shook myself out of the trance and backed away.

"Call me if you need anything," I said and then left, probably a little faster than I should have. After making sure that Gideon was okay, I walked out the door and to my truck.

It was only an hour later, as I laid awake in my bed thinking about the night's events, that I realized that I'd had the perfect opportunity to snoop through her things and hadn't.

Because I no longer felt like I needed to.


	14. A Tense Eruption

… **..**

 **You guys are amazing! There are now 30 favorites for this story, so here is the promised reward: a new chapter! I've decided that I'll always keep two goals up, so my next two goals are: 40 followers and 82 reviews.**

 **I'll be totally honest with you guys… this chapter was so hard to write. I had an outline for it and everything, but the words just wouldn't come out. I had to take no less than twenty breaks throughout the process when I normally only take one or two. So… I hope that you don't think that it's horrible. I did my very best, I promise.**

 **As always, I want to say thank you for the reads, reviews, favorites, and follows from each of you. And also for the private messages. I really appreciate you all.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Fourteen: A Tense Eruption_

Steve

"Hey, how's Allie?" Chin asked as soon as I came in the next morning.

Immediately, an image of her sitting on the bed, staring up at me, filled my mind. Aggravated, I pushed it away and answered him. "She's doing okay. She was released last night and the doctor said that there was no brain bleed. She has to take it easy for a few days, though."

"Of course," Kono agreed. "That hit was _hard_. I was amazed that it didn't bash in a part of her skull."

That was an image that I didn't like, so I didn't think about it. "Any cases come in yet?"

"Not yet," she said. "We were just reviewing some of the active HPD cases to see if we thought we could be of any help. Nothing big, though."

"Keep me posted." I moved for my office and sat behind my desk, letting out a long breath. Images from the night before kept running through my head, making it difficult to concentrate on anything but the way her body had felt when she'd been leaning into me and how bright her eyes had been as they stared into mine.

"Goddamn it all," I groaned and roughly ran a hand through my hair. It was getting just a tad long – time for a trim. But that would have to wait until after work because I needed to shower as soon as I could afterwards. Otherwise, those tiny hairs would be poking me all day.

"Hey, we got a case." Danny froze in the doorway and raised an eyebrow at me. "You uh… you okay? You look kind of zoned out there."

Determined to focus only on the case, I stood and headed for the door. "Absolutely. Let's go. Fill me in."

He looked like he wanted to press it, but he was a professional to the core and knew that the case took precedence. "There was an attempted rape."

I almost froze on the spot but forced myself to keep walking. "An _attempted_ rape?"

Danny waved a hand dismissively. "I couldn't get all of the details out of the cop that I talked to. Anyway, they have the guy in cuffs and while they were patting him down, they found a gun linked to a murder from a couple of days ago. Guy swears he just bought it off of some guy yesterday. They wanted us to come check it out."

"I'm curious as to how this is classified as an _attempted_ rape." Of course I was glad that someone hadn't actually been raped, but attempted rapes were rare – it typically either happened or there wasn't a chance of it happening in the first place.

"That's the part where the officer was losing me," he said and then looked at me hopefully. "Can I drive?"

Technically, it _was_ his Camaro, but… "I don't ride shotgun," I reminded him and slipped into the driver's side. He muttered something about fairness and got into the passenger side, passing along the address.

It was a back alley between a row of shops, and there were already quite a few people milling about behind the police tape. What confused me the most was the animal control vehicle.

"Did they mention an escape from the zoo?" I asked Danny as we ducked beneath the line of yellow tape.

He followed my gaze and shrugged when he recognized the truck. "Not that I know of. I don't know. Maybe a monkey stopped the guy."

An officer met us and pointed to an ambulance, where a man was receiving treatment while two officers stood on, watching closely. I pointed at him and asked if that was our guy.

"Yes, Commander," the officer said and his demeaner as well as his formal way of addressing me told me that he was likely fresh out of the academy. "A woman called 9-1-1 and told dispatch that she'd been taking out the trash at work when a man grabbed her and began to try to drag her behind the dumpsters. She said that she tried to call for help, but didn't think that anyone heard her until the dog showed up."

Danny held up a hand to stop the man, confusion all over his face. "I'm sorry… did you say 'until the _dog_ showed up'?"

I was equally confused.

The officer, however, didn't seem to find anything weird about the situation at all. "That's right. A dog had escaped from animal control and was wandering around when he heard the woman scream. He got the gun away from him and the lady grabbed it and held the man at gunpoint while she dialed 9-1-1."

"And of course, you took a witness statement from the dog?" Danny said.

The officer laughed, even though Danny had been making fun of him. "Of course not, but I talked to the animal control officers that showed up."

"How does a random dog that escapes from the pound know how to get a gun away from someone?" I asked him and then it hit me like a sack of bricks to the face. "Wait, was this dog a German Shepherd?"

Danny looked at me like I'd lost my mind, but the officer nodded rapidly. "Yes! Animal control officers said that they picked him up this morning and were holding him until his owner could come get him."

"Where's the dog now?"

The officer pointed to the animal control truck. "In there. The animal control officers are still talking to HPD."

"Thanks," I said and took off, even though he looked like he wanted to say more.

Danny trotted up behind me. "How in the world could you have _possibly_ known that it was a German Shepherd?"

I continued my quick walk. "There's only one dog on the island I know of that's trained well enough to respond to someone in danger and wrestle a gun away."

He was still confused, but we had reached the animal control officers and I made the introductions quickly.

"The dog," I finally said. "I think he might belong to a member of our task force. Is he here?"

"Yeah," the oldest man said, "you can see him, but you might want to be careful. He's not vicious, but he is obviously wary of strangers."

"I don't think we're strangers," I told him and motioned for him to open up the back of the truck.

He did so and I stepped into view, Danny right behind me. In the back of the truck was a German Shepherd, calmly laying down as if there was nothing going on outside. When he looked at me, I knew that he recognized me.

"Gideon," I said.

He stood and jumped down from the truck, sniffing at my legs before his tail slowly began to wag. He was still wearing his leather collar, so I asked the officers if they had checked his chip. Allie had mentioned once that she was going to take a longer lunch break so that she could go and register his chip with animal services.

"We haven't had the chance," one of the officers answered me, seeming surprised that Gideon was responding so positively to me. "We were called by HPD this morning to pick him up because his owner was being taken to the hospital and we couldn't ID her."

My blood ran cold and Danny asked, " _Hospital_? Why? What happened?"

The officer seemed to realize that we really did know this dog's owner, and his expression turned to one of sympathy. "I'm sorry, I don't know much. She was found unconscious on the beach and the dog stood over her until help got there. He was reluctant to let us take him, but the woman regained consciousness long enough to tell him something. I'm not sure she spoke English, but after that, he let us take him."

"Allie's back in the hospital?" Danny asked.

"It appears that way," I said and asked the officers if they had a leash that I could use.

"There was one already attached to his collar when we picked him up," he said and moved to the front of the truck. "Let me grab it for you. He didn't seem to want me to put it back on him, but maybe he'll let you since he knows you."

Gideon did, indeed, let me clip the leash onto his collar.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Danny asked me. "Why would Allie be back in the hospital?"

"Probably because she was at the beach." At his questioning look, I said, "She normally goes for a run on the beach every morning. My guess is that even though she was supposed to take it easy, she went for her run like she always does. She probably got dizzy and passed out. And, since I'm betting she doesn't take her ID or cell phone running with her, they had no way to identify her before they took her to the hospital."

"Makes sense," Danny agreed. "Should we take Gideon back to her house?"

"Maybe the back door will be unlocked," I agreed. "Or, at least, Gideon can get us in. Allie told me that he had a chip built into his collar that can turn off the alarm system so that he can let himself in and out while she's gone during the day."

We walked towards the car and Danny said, "See, if I could get a dog that was _that_ smart, then I'd keep one around."

"It takes a lot of training, Danny."

We paused at the back of the ambulance, but the perp immediately began to freak out when he saw Gideon, even though Gideon made no move towards him. Finally, the paramedics asked us to take the dog away so that they could get their patient calmed down. I agreed and told Chin and Kono to keep an eye on him and question him further about the gun.

Gideon eagerly hopped into the backseat, likely happy to be away from animal control. As we drove to Allie's house, Danny asked me what my plan was.

"Get Gideon back into Allie's house, for one," I said. "And then I'll probably have you drop me off at my truck and I'll go to the hospital and make sure that they have everything sorted out on that end. You'll be in charge of the investigation of this guy."

"Man, did you see his arm?" Danny asked me and grimaced. "I'd hate to be him. It was _torn up_."

"Dogs can be dangerous." I looked at Gideon through the rearview mirror. "But this time, it was to the right person. You did good, Gideon."

He didn't even acknowledge my words.

"How did Allie even train him to do that?" Danny asked, impressed.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just know that she's spent a lot of time training him and he can do more than any dog I've ever seen."

At Allie's house, we circled around to the back and used Gideon's collar to get in. Nothing was out of order, so I fed him and then we left him there so that Danny could take me back to my truck. After extracting a promise from him to keep me updated on the case, I headed for the hospital to see if I could find Allie.

"Allie Rhodes," I told the nurse at the desk, an elderly lady that smelled like that old lady perfume my grandma had always used. I resisted the urge to wrinkle my nose.

After looking something up on the computer, she smiled up at me. "Oh, that's nice. We asked her if she wanted us to call anyone, but she said no. I take it she called you herself?"

I forced a polite smile. "Something like that."

She stood and beckoned for me to follow her down the hall. "The computer says that she was in just last night. Poor girl has had such a tough week."

"She has," I agreed.

Once we'd reached the room, the nurse waved for me to go on in and then she headed back for the nurse's station. After a deep breath to steel myself, I walked in and closed the sliding door behind me.

Allie had the bed angled so that she was sitting up, and a tray of food was on the small stand hovering over her bed. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was dressed in one of those horrendous hospital gowns that she somehow made work for her.

When she saw me, her eyes widened. "Steve. What are you doing here?"

I laughed, but there was no humor in it, only anger. When I spoke, I made sure to keep my voice down, but the anger still came through loud and clear. "What am I _doing here_?" I asked her, and knew that she saw how angry I was. "I'm here to check on you. I didn't think that I would have to do that today, because you just got hurt yesterday and you were given _very strict_ orders from the doctor and even _more strict_ orders from me to _rest_." The last word came out as a hiss.

She set down the Jell-O cup she'd been holding and smiled sheepishly. "Gideon is used to going for a morning run."

"Gideon won't die if he goes a few days without a run!" I took a moment to check my temper and then continued. "If you still wanted to get him some exercise, you could have thrown the ball with him in the backyard. Or even asked _me_ to take him for a run. Instead, you went for a run, passed out, and left him to animal control."

Panic set in. "Oh my God, I forgot about that."

I was disbelieving. "You forgot that you took your dog with you on your run this morning?"

She shook her head. "No, not that. I just… I figured that he would go back home. I thought I told him to go back home."

I still couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Of course he wasn't going to just go home! His owner was _injured_ and he knew that! He's trained to help people. Which is why – after he so cleverly escaped from the animal control officers – he saved a woman from being raped."

The variety of emotions on her face would have been humorous, had I not been so furious. "What are you talking about?"

I sighed and practically threw myself into the chair next to her bed. "After the officers picked him up, he escaped them. I don't really know how. And I guess he was wandering around when he heard a woman scream and went to investigate. She said a man had dragged her behind some dumpsters and was trying to rape her when Gideon bit his arm and wrestled the gun away from him. She held him at gunpoint until the police came."

She was silent for so long that I was afraid something was wrong, but then she smiled. "Are they okay?"

"Who? The girl and the rapist?"

She made a face of disgust. "No, I don't care about the rapist. I was asking about Gideon and the girl."

"The girl had already been transferred to the hospital when we got to the scene, but it was only for minor injuries and shock. Gideon didn't even have a scratch. He was just hanging out in the back of the truck."

"I guess that's how you knew that I was here," she realized. "You figured out that it was Gideon and then asked the animal control officers what had happened and why they had him."

I nodded. "I could only think of one dog on the island that could do that kind of damage but also show that kind of restraint. Normally when a dog attacks, they won't let go and end up seriously hurting someone. Not that the guy got off too easy – they think he's going to need some stitches, but he should be okay to stand trial soon."

"Where is Gideon now?" she asked me. "Still with animal control?"

"No, he's home," I assured her. "Danny and I took him home and we used his collar to get him in. I fed him, too, so don't worry about that. He seemed fine but also kind of anxious, like he was still worried about you."

"I'm glad it turned out okay and that Gideon was there," she said.

I stared at her for a few moments before I said, "It _was_ pretty lucky that he was there, but I would prefer that you not be in the hospital, either. What were you even thinking? Why would you not rest like the doctor told you to do? Like _I_ told you to do?"

I could see the exact moment that she became defensive, and I knew that I was in for a fight. "For the record, I'm fine. They did another scan and I still don't have a bleed in my brain. I just got a little dizzy on my run. Nothing abnormal."

"Did they check for a tumor in your frontal lobe?"

Confusion etched itself into her expression. "What? You think I have a tumor?"

"Well, the frontal lobe is the part of the brain that is primarily responsible for making choices, right?" I asked her. "Clearly, there's something wrong with the way that you make choices. I just thought there might be a tumor or something there."

Her blue eyes lit with an angry fire. "That's not funny. One bad decision does _not_ mean that something is wrong with me."

"It's not just this decision," I told her, my own anger rising with hers. "It's the fact that you made this bad decision less than _twelve_ hours after you had two people – one of them being a _medical professional_ – tell you not to make that very decision. So, you just decided to ignore us and do your own thing, and I must say, well done. How are you feeling about your stubbornness now? Because all it's gotten you is another trip to the hospital."

"I'm fine!" she yelled and then closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing in a voice full of forced calm. "I don't need other people telling me what I can and cannot handle."

"Well, clearly we were right this time."

She glared at me. "Look, if all that you came here to do is lecture me, then I think I would prefer it if you left."

Her words hurt, even though I knew that she'd only said them in anger. "You want me to leave?"

"Yes."

"I'm the guy that drove your brother to the airport because you couldn't. And then I came back here and drove _you_ home. But not only did I do that – I also had to help you inside, feed your dog, wash your clothes, and help you get to bed. And now you want me to leave because you're mad that I was _right_?"

"You don't know everything," she shot at me.

I nodded. "Fine. But what I _do_ know is that I'm still the leader of Five-O. As such, I get to make the big decisions. Such as suspending members that don't follow my instructions."

Shock took over the anger on her face. "You're _suspending_ me? You said that I could come back when I had my medical papers."

"That was before you decided to disobey a direct order that I gave you upon the recommendation of a medical professional."

"You have no control over what I do in my free time!" The anger was back in full force.

"You're right; I don't." I headed for the door. "You're still suspended until further notice." At the door, I turned back to look at her and was saddened by all of the anger that was directed at me. Still, I kept my expression stern and unyielding. "Am I clear?"

I saw her grind her teeth for a moment and then she ground out, "Yes, Commander."

"Good," I said. "If you need anything during your stay, please don't hesitate to let anyone from Five-O know. Get well soon." And then I exited her room and headed down the hall, fighting to swallow the lump in my throat.


	15. The Explosion

… **..**

 **There is absolutely nothing that you all can't do. You beat both challenges that I presented yesterday, so that means that I have to post TWO chapters today. I guess I need to start making the goals even harder? Ha. I'm going to post one chapter now (morning for me), and then one right before I got to bed. My new goals will be on the next chapter later tonight.**

 **Thank goodness this chapter was easier to write than the last one. With luck, none of the rest of the chapters will be as hard as chapter fourteen. You all don't even know how hard I struggled to eke that one out. At one point, I seriously considered just letting it be one thousand words. BUT… I had promised myself that each chapter would be at least 3,500 words, so I pressed on. And I hope it was successful.**

 **Thank you all so much for your support of this story, and I hope that you continue to enjoy it.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Sixteen: The Explosion_

Steve

It had been a week since I'd suspended Allie, and I hadn't heard a single thing from her. And since I had sternly told myself that I couldn't be the first to make contact with her, I didn't try to call her. I'd been on countless missions in foreign territories for weeks on end. I had done tours in the Middle East for months at a time. But somehow, the week without hearing anything from Allie seemed longer than any of that.

"I dropped by to see Allie this morning," Kono said Monday morning when Chin asked her why she was later than usual. "I brought her donuts."

"You saw Allie?" I asked and prayed that my tone was only conversational.

"Yeah," she said. "I've called her a couple of times but I told her I wanted to do something helpful, so she said I could bring her breakfast."

"Whoa," Danny protested. "When I asked what I could do, she asked me to bring _dinner_."

"You saw her, too?" I asked.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I took Grace with me and we ate dinner and played cards."

"Poker?" Kono teased him, and Chin and I laughed.

Danny glared at us all. "No, we didn't play _poker_. We played Go Fish and some other game that Grace and Allie tried to teach me. I was no good at it."

"What about you?" I asked Chin.

He nodded. "Yeah, I talked to her a few times and asked her if there was anything I could do, so I did a grocery run for her."

"Better than getting your ass kicked at cards," Danny muttered.

"Have _you_ talked to her?" Kono asked me, and all eyes were on me.

"Yeah," I lied. "I've checked in on her." Before the lie could continue, I got a call on my cell from HPD. "McGarrett."

"Hey, Commander," an officer said. "We have a body here and we'd like your team to come take a look. It's pretty bad."

"Okay," I agreed. "Send me the address."

"Got a case?" Chin asked when I hung up, and I nodded and headed for the door.

Once we were in the car, Danny said, "So, why haven't you talked to Allie?"

I kept all guilt from my expression. "What are you talking about? I just told you that I've checked in on her."

"Yeah, and you _lied._ Come on, we're partners. You think I don't know when you're lying? Plus, I just saw Allie the night before last and she said that she hadn't heard from you."

I could have continued to argue, but there was really no point. Instead, I sighed. "I suspended her."

For once, Danny was shocked into silence. Finally, after a minute, he said, "Are you _serious_? You _suspended_ her?"

"Yes, I suspended her. She was hurt on the job and I told her that she needed medical papers for clearance. I told her to take it easy, like the doctor ordered, and she didn't listen."

"It's not like she came back to work," he argued. "She went for a run _on her own time_. Yeah, she overdid it, but you don't exactly have the right to tell her how to spend her free time."

That was almost exactly what Allie had said to me, but for some reason, it made more sense coming from Danny. Which was insane, I knew, but it was just the way it was. "She was reckless and stupid."

"You know, I know someone else that's reckless and stupid." Sarcasm practically dripped from his voice. "Maybe you've heard of him. He's tall, dark hair, unwaveringly serious. I think he served in the military… yeah, he was a Navy SEAL."

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't go for a run the morning after a serious head injury and pass out."

"No, but you do stupid shit all the time. I think you're just mad because she's so much like you."

Luckily, we pulled up to the crime scene just then. Cop cars were everywhere, lights flashing. A crowd had gathered, trying to see anything they could around the strips of yellow police tape that had been hung.

The body was that of an elderly man that hadn't been identified yet. Max said that he'd been bled out, but I probably could have figured that out by his pale appearance. That, and the fact that there was a minimal amount of blood at the scene.

"He's been dead for a few days," Max told us, seemingly unaffected by the body in front of him. Sometimes, I wondered how many dead bodies you had to see before you became as immune as Max seemed. "Bled out from his wrists. And it _appears_ that he was hung upside down to let the blood drain. See the marks on his ankles? He was restrained, likely with metal cuffs."

"Any idea how long he was held?" Danny asked, not seeming to really want to look at the dead body.

"Not more than a week, I would guess."

I looked to Chin and Kono. "Go back to HQ and start looking over missing persons reports to see if you can find one for a guy matching his description."

They nodded and moved to do as I'd said while Max helped place the body onto the stretcher.

"See, now if Chin and Kono had refused to do what you had asked them to do, then you could have suspended them," Danny said quietly. "Because we're on the job and you're the boss."

I gave him a look to tell him to shut up and asked Max to let me know as soon as there was an ID on the victim.

Back in the car, Danny said, "Now, if Max had told you that he wouldn't let you know once he got an ID, I don't think you could have _him_ suspended. You'd have to file a complaint or something."

"Will you stop?" Irritation was loud and clear in my voice.

"No. Not until you admit it was wrong."

Frustrated, I threw my hands up. "Okay, fine. Fine. I shouldn't have suspended her for not listening to my orders off the job. But there's nothing I can do about it now."

"Bullshit," he said. "You can go over there and apologize to her. And also reinstate her, because she's probably the most talented member of Five-O and we need her."

I was almost offended. " _Most talented member_?"

"Don't be offended. She's obviously just as good at fighting as you. She has more contacts than you. I didn't say _best_ – because that's obviously me – I just said _most talented_."

I put the car in drive, done with the conversation. "Let's get back to HQ and see if we can help with those missing persons cases."

But Danny clearly wasn't done with the conversation yet. "So, are you going to go see Allie and straighten everything out?"

"Straighten everything out?"

"Yeah, you know… Tell her that you were out of line and that she's reinstated. You'll have to swallow your pride, so I'd suggest maybe taking an antacid before going over there, though."

I didn't dignify that with a response. "You hungry?"

"You paying?"

"I will if you shut up about all of this."

"Done," Danny said and named one of the most expensive drive thru places on the island.

I didn't even protest.

Allie

"Okay," I said and sighed as I settled down onto the couch. "It's your turn to pick the movie."

As Gideon moved for the DVD display case, I said, "And _not_ 'Old Yeller' again. There's only so many times I can watch Travis shoot his own dog."

Gideon's DVDs were spread out on the bottom shelf and he deliberated a moment before grabbing one and bringing it to me, tail wagging.

I took the case from his mouth and smiled. "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Good choice. Need a snack?"

He barked an answer and I put the DVD in and then moved for the pantry, where I kept his Kong ball filling. When I turned, he was right behind me with the red Kong in his mouth, ready.

"Give it," I commanded in Dutch, and he dropped it into my hand.

"Good boy." I filled it up for him and then gave it back before moving for the sink to wash my hands. Once that was done, I popped a bag of popcorn for myself and poured a glass of lemonade. We'd just made it back into the living room when my security system beeped, which meant that someone had pulled into my driveway.

Gideon looked up at me to make sure that I'd heard it.

"Who knows?" I said. "Maybe it's Five-O bringing me some more food." Everyone but Steve had been checking in on me at least once a day and had brought food a few times.

When there was a knock, I stood up and went to the door, wondering who had brought the food this time.

But there was no food in the hands of my visitor.

"Steve." To say that I was surprised was an understatement. In the whole week since he'd suspended me, he hadn't called once to check on me. Not even a text message. And then suddenly he just decides to show up at my front door?

"Hey," he said and at least had the grace to look sheepish. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure," I said and stepped aside.

He walked past me and then I closed the door, turning to face him and trying not to think about how good he looked in his jeans and dark blue button-up shirt opened to reveal a gray tee. I honestly didn't even know where that thought had come from.

"How have you been?" he asked me and I saw his gaze flit to my forehead, where the stitches had been removed just this morning, leaving behind only a pink, slightly swollen line.

"I'm fine," I told him. "Went to get the stitches removed this morning."

"Did you get cleared?"

"Yes."

He gave me a look of confusion. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm suspended." I could hear the hardness in my own voice and his expression told me that he had heard it, too. "Unfairly, might I add."

"That's, uh, that's actually what I'm here to talk to you about," he said. But before he could say anything else, Gideon growled low in his throat from off to the side as he approached us. Steve gave me a questioning look.

I sighed and moved past him and into the living room. "We're having a movie night and he just picked a movie. He wants me to start it."

Steve's tone told me that he was skeptical, at the very least. " _Gideon_ picked the movie?"

I pressed play and then walked back over to where Steve was standing at the base of the stairs. "Yes, Gideon picked the movie. It was his turn. Were you trying to tell me something?"

He stared at me for a few more moments and I could tell that he wanted to ask me more about how Gideon had "picked" the movie, but he must have decided that it was beside the point because he shook his head and said, "I actually came here because I wanted to tell you that I-"

From his spot in the living room floor, Gideon barked at us, annoyed.

I sighed. "He wants us to be quiet so that he can watch the movie."

Steve's eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Are you being serious right now?"

My own annoyance flared up and I grabbed his arm and began to lead him up the stairs. "Yes, I'm serious. He actually enjoys watching movies. So, if you want to talk, we can do it at the top of the stairs where we won't bother him."

"Fine," he muttered and stopped when we reached the top of the stairs.

I leaned back against the banister and motioned for him to talk. "Go ahead."

"Okay." He blew out a breath. "I had a talk with Danny earlier and he made me see that suspending you for something that you did off the job wasn't fair."

"I tried to get you to see that, too," I reminded him, none too gently. "But you weren't very interested in what I had to say."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said with a sigh. "I was just aggravated and…"

"And?" I prompted.

"And worried," he admitted. "I don't do so well when a member of my team is in danger or gets hurt. I tend to overreact."

"I don't need you to be all overprotective," I told him, feeling a flash of irritability that was likely left over from my concussion. The doctor had warned me that I might have some personality changes lasting for a month or so.

Annoyance flashed in his eyes. "Forgive me for caring."

"If you _cared_ about me, you wouldn't have shown up at my hospital room to interrogate me, lecture me, and _suspend_ me." I was getting more worked up than I should have, but I felt like I had no control. "If you _cared_ about me, then you would have checked up on me. But ever since you stormed out of that hospital room, you have refused to contact me in any way. No phone calls, no text messages, no check-ins of any kind."

He was defensive. "I didn't think you'd want to talk to me after I suspended you. I thought you'd need a little bit of time to cool off."

" _Me_?!" And now I was being defensive as well. " _I'm_ the one that needed to cool off? Are you _kidding me_? You suspended me for something stupid and then-"

"I _apologized_ for that."

"No, you didn't," I told him and straightened up, taking a step closer so that there was only an inch of space between us. "You said that Danny made you realize that it was unfair, but you never _apologized_. Not for unfairly suspending me and not for refusing to contact me this past week. Because that would require you to swallow your damn pride."

" _My_ pride?" He asked me and stepped even closer. So close that I could feel his torso pressed against me as he looked down at me, his stare intense. "You didn't try to contact me, either. You have my number; you could have called or checked in."

"That's not my job," I argued as the smell of his cologne made my head swim.

"You can't have it both ways. You don't want me to be your boss outside of work, then it's not my job to contact you."

"You were just saying that you cared about me, even though you did a really crappy job of showing it. If you really cared, then you would have made some kind of contact with me."

"This is about me proving that I care, now?" he asked.

Even I felt lost now, but I wasn't going to admit to that. "Yes. And also about you apologizing."

"I'm sorry," he responded. "I really am. Are you happy now?"

"That was a shitty apology."

The look on his face told me that he was reaching his boiling point. "You're telling me how to apologize now? You know everything now?"

"I know that you don't show that you care about someone by refusing to contact them for an entire week."

"Then please tell me how you do that," he demanded.

"Not like that."

"Then what about this?" he asked and suddenly, his hands were cupping my face and he was pulling my mouth roughly to his in a kiss unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. It was rough and wanton, and it sucked all of the breath right out of my body. I found myself relaxing into the embrace, my hands gripping the fabric of his shirt of their own accord.

When he finally pulled back, his choppy breaths told me that he was just as out of breath as I was. And the look in his eyes told me that he had enjoyed the kiss just as much as I had.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him, my voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know," he admitted. He moved one hand down to rest on my lower back, the other hand moving back to tangle in my hair. "But I'm willing to get on my knees and beg if you'll let me do it again."

"As much as I'd love to see that," I said slowly. "It's not necessary."

He smiled and then kissed me again, just as deep and rough and wanton as before. Kissing him was like… an explosion. Like a bomb that had been slowly ticking down for weeks now and had finally been set off. It was wild and primal and so different from every other kiss that I'd ever had.

And so much better.

Steve moved his mouth to my neck as he began to step, pushing me backwards and towards my bedroom.

 _Oh, God, this is really happening_ , I thought, but I didn't want to change anything. I would have let him do whatever he wanted, honestly. It was like I was under his spell and no longer in control of my own body. My response to him was that strong.

Once in my bedroom, he guided me towards the bed as his hands moved under the fabric of my tank top. Moments later, he pulled it up over my head and gently pushed me back down onto the bed.

At the rapid movement, my head spun and a few black dots appeared in my vision, making me curse. The doctor said that I should still try to take it easy, but he hadn't said anything about sex. Likely because my chart would have told him that I wasn't sexually active.

"You okay?" Steve asked me, concerned.

My vision cleared and I saw him leaning over me, his shirt removed. He had some very impressive ab muscles and it was all I could do not to reach out and touch him. "I'm okay."

His expression was doubtful. "You looked like you got a little dizzy there for a second."

Curse him and his observant nature. "It was the quick movement. I'm fine."

"I thought you were cleared?"

"I was," I said impatiently, just wanting him to get back to kissing me. "The doctor said that there may be a few lasting complications for a bit. Irritability, occasional dizziness… But I'm fine. Come on." I held out a hand to him. "Don't get all overprotective again. We just had a fight about that and it's over."

He sighed and crawled over me, pressing himself against me with his arms holding most of his own weight. "I can't do this if you're not a hundred percent."

I felt myself frown, the irritability trying to creep back up. "Didn't we just have that talk? That I don't need you to look after me?"

"If we're going to do _this_ …" He leaned down and kissed me deeply, leaving me breathless. "Then I want you to be a hundred percent."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're saying no to sex? Just clarifying."

He laughed, though I didn't see any humor in the situation, turned on as I was. "I'm saying no to sex _tonight_ , not forever." He kissed me again, and I felt the desire. "Can I stay?"

I considered it. "Are you staying because you want to look out for me and make sure that I'm okay?" If he was, it would be best to just ask him to leave.

"No," he said, and I believed him. "Just because I want to be here with you."

"I thought you said that you weren't going to have sex with me while I'm not a hundred percent?" I reminded him.

"It doesn't have to be about sex," he said and rolled off of me, pulling me into his side. "We can make out."

"Like teenagers?" I teased him.

"Like teenagers," he agreed with a wide grin. "Only I'm not worried about your parents walking in on us." He paused and thought. "But Gideon…"

"Gideon will be fine," I assured him and pulled him closer. "Trust me."

His mouth touched mine and the explosion only got bigger.


	16. A Different Kind of Explosion

… **..**

 **As promised, here is the other chapter that you all earned. My next two goals are: 100 reviews, or 50 followers.**

 **Also, someone told me that the title of my last chapter said "Chapter Sixteen" when it was really supposed to be chapter 15. I tried to edit it, but can't figure out how. But, at least it really was the right chapter and I didn't skip anything.**

 **Remember when I said that chapter fourteen was the hardest chapter that I'd written and I hoped that I wouldn't have to write another chapter as hard as that one? Yeah, I jinxed myself. This chapter was SO HARD, so I really hope that I don't end up letting you all down.**

 **Thank you to all of you that have shown support for this story; I appreciate you all so very much.**

 **Reminder: I only use the characters and the premise of the show, not the storyline. I'm sure you all remember, but better to be safe than sorry.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Sixteen: A Different Kind of Explosion_

Allie

I woke to wetness pressing against my hand and when I opened my eyes, I gasped, momentarily frightened. Gideon had his paws on the bed and had nosed my hand to wake me up.

From behind me, Steve stretched and began to sit up. "What's going on?"

A glance at the digital clock on my bedside table told me that it was 5:05 in the morning. Past time for me to get up for my morning run. "Gideon," I said and sat up. "It's time for our morning run."

He was shirtless from our night together, and his eyes held the last few vestiges of sleep. "Allie… about last night…"

Something in his tone told me that he thought it was a mistake. And, for some reason, that really hurt. I'd been shot, stabbed, punched, kicked, and choked, but him thinking that our night together was a mistake (when we hadn't even had _sex_ ) hurt worse than all of them.

"Don't worry about it," I told him and hopped out of bed, moving for my dresser. I only had underwear on – due to the previous night's… _activities_ – so I just pulled on running shorts and a tank. "Things got a little… heated. We were arguing and it got out of hand."

When I looked back at him, his expression was one of confusion. Had he not expected me to feel the same way? Had he thought I'd be permanently attached after only one night? What type of girl did he think I was? I took a deep breath as I fixed my hair into a ponytail.

"I think that you're misinterpreting things," he finally said and looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't know _how_ to say it.

"No, no, it's fine," I told him and moved for my closet to pull on my running shoes. "I don't expect anything. Last night was crazy."

"Well, yeah…" he slowly agreed. "It _was_ crazy, but that's not what I was trying to say."

"You don't have to be nice about it." I finished lacing up my shoes and turned to face him, pasting a smile onto my face so he would know that I was fine. I wasn't one of those easy women that fell in love after one kiss. No matter how amazing that kiss was… "I need to take Gideon for a run. Feel free to shower or… whatever you need to do."

Before he could say anything else, I called Gideon to me and we went downstairs together. I paused only long enough to clip his leash on and then we headed out the back door and to the beach, where we took off at a light jog to warm up.

Normally, I let my head clear while I was running, but that was proving to be difficult. All I could think about was the night that I'd spent with Steve. We'd kissed for a long time – sometimes he took the lead and sometimes I did in a tradeoff of power that was simply perfect. Our underwear had stayed on, but our hands had explored every square inch of exposed skin that we could. It had been… incredible.

I didn't even remember falling asleep, but now he had woken up and regretted it. Not that I was surprised; it's not like we had planned to get together. It had happened because we'd both had a lot of frustration inside and we'd needed a way to work it out. But for some reason, that realization didn't make me feel much better.

After a couple of minutes of warmup, Gideon and I picked up our pace. Thankfully, the faster pace and the ocean air helped to clear my head. After a while, I wasn't even capable of having thoughts about Steve. I could only think about working the muscles of my body.

The run was a success and once back at the house, I made sure that Gideon had food and water before I got myself a bottle of water out of the fridge and then looked in the pantry for a breakfast bar.

I jumped when Steve said, "Can I have one?"

"Jesus," I said, hand over my heart as I closed the pantry door to look at him, wondering why I hadn't heard him approach. "What are you still doing here?" His hair was damp from a shower and he was wearing his clothes from the night before. Why had he stuck around?

He shrugged, seeming confused by my hostility. "I thought I'd have some breakfast."

I opened the pantry door again and grabbed a granola bar for him. "Good?"

He nodded and began to open it up. "Good. And I got a call from HPD. They need you on a case."

 _That_ got my attention. "They need _Five-O_?"

"No." He shook his head. "They need _you_." He took a large bite of his granola bar.

"Why just me?"

"Because you used to be on the bomb squad in New York and they have a really complicated bomb that their guys think you might have seen before."

"Why didn't they call me directly?" I wondered, but I was already heading for the stairs, opening my granola bar on the way.

He followed me, speaking around his bite. "Because when they looked you up in the system, they saw that you were on suspension, so they needed my approval before they called you in on a case."

I let out a sigh, finished off my granola bar too quickly, and moved for my closet to grab some clothes. "Of course, you put it into the system. Let me take a quick rinse and then I'll be right out."

"Good," he said. "I'll call the rest of the team and let them know to meet us there."

"Okay." I paused in the doorway of the bathroom and looked at him. "Send me the address so I can meet you guys there." And then I locked myself in the bathroom, heart already pounding.

I stepped into the shower and began to do some of the breathing exercises that my previous therapist had taught me to calm my mind. I knew that I couldn't be working with a bomb if my mind wasn't completely calm. One little tremble could set the whole thing off, which was exactly why I'd gotten out of the bomb squad in the first place.

Sure, it had been great at first. I'd spent the first year in training, learning everything that I possibly could about bombs and the people that made them. Then, I had assisted in a few disarming jobs before I'd gotten to be lead. It had gone fine for a while… and then it got too stressful. A good friend of mine had been killed in the line of duty by a dirty bomb. It shouldn't have happened… It should have been me in that building. But I'd been laid up in bed with the flu and he'd taken my shift.

It still haunted me.

"Not this time," I muttered to myself as I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I dried off quickly and then pulled on the clothes that I'd brought in for myself. Once I was dressed, I pulled my wet hair up into a messy bun and didn't even bother with makeup.

There was no time for stuff like that.

Steve was gone and I found that he had texted me the address like I had asked him to. I left the house, got into my car, and sped over there as fast as the car would go.

I only hoped that this time, with this bomb, I could be there for the people that needed me.

Steve

"Where's Officer Rhodes?" Duke asked me when I showed up at the scene.

"On her way," I assured him. "What do we got?"

He waved for me to follow him, but we paused and waited on Danny, Chin, and Kono, who all arrived within seconds of each other. I called out to them and told them to follow us, and then Duke led us all to the middle of the public garden.

Sitting by the fountain was a child that couldn't have been more than seven or eight. She was dressed in a pink shirt and denim shorts, her blonde hair braided in pigtails. There was a bomb around her neck. She looked terrified, but not quite as terrified as her mother, who stood nearby sobbing while HPD officers tried to calm her down. It sounded like they were trying to get her to leave, but she was refusing.

"I'll try to talk to her," Kono told us and she headed off to speak with the woman.

Danny sucked in a breath and I knew that his thoughts had turned to Grace.

I knelt down in front of the girl and smiled in what I hoped was a comforting manner. "Hi, sweetie. What's your name?"

She wiped a tear away from her face and I saw every officer in the area tense. "Hannah."

"Okay, Hannah. I think that the officers here really need you to be super still, okay?"

"Sorry," she said, voice breaking. "I forgot."

"That's okay," I assured her. The last thing that we needed was for her to start sobbing and upset the device around her neck. I needed to keep her calm. "How did that thing get around your neck?"

She sniffled, but didn't seem to be in danger of breaking down. "This man had a puppy and he said that I could play with it. I was petting it when he slipped it over my head and my mommy ran over screaming… But the man took his puppy and ran away."

"Do you remember what the man looked like?"

"Not really," she said. "He was tall and had a beard. And he was wearing a shirt with flowers on it. But that's all I remember."

"What about the puppy? Did it have a collar on?" Maybe she could remember a few of the numbers on it and we could trace it.

"No," she said.

So much for that.

"Did he say anything to you about what he put around your neck?" Chin asked her.

She shook her head. "But Mommy was really scared and called the police. When they got here, they told me to sit down and that I shouldn't move very much because I could get hurt. Why can't you just take it off?" A tear trailed down her cheek. "I just wanna go home."

"I know, sweetie," I said, sympathizing with her. She was far too young to be strapped to a bomb. "Listen, my name is Steve McGarrett and I work in the Five-O task force. We're the most elite police on the island, and there's a member of my team that's coming right now to get that thing off of you so that you can go home with your mommy, okay? But we need you to be really still, and really patient. Can you do that, Hannah?"

After a moment she started to nod, but stopped herself. "Yeah. I can do that. Like when you're playing hide and seek and you have to be really still so that the seeker doesn't find you."

"Exactly," I agreed.

"Hey, a party." Allie was coming up behind us wearing her normal clothes – no bomb squad gear. But in her hands was a kit that I'd seen bomb squad members carry before. "Am I invited?" She smiled at Hannah and knelt down next to me. "Hi. My name is Allie."

"I'm Hannah," the girl said and looked to me. "Is this the person that's going to get this off of me so that I can go home?"

"That's her," I nodded, keeping the smile on my face. I glanced at Allie. "Why aren't you in gear?" I asked her softly.

She didn't spare me a glance as she reached forward to touch something on the device. "It slows me down. I've seen this before…" She frowned and then asked the girl, "Did the guy that put this on you have a beard?"

"Yeah," Hannah said. "And he was really tall."

"Did he have a puppy?"

Danny and I exchanged a confused look as Hannah told Allie that the man had, indeed, had a puppy with him. "He said that I could play with it and then he put this around my neck and ran away. And then my mommy started yelling and crying and the police came."

"Give me just a second, okay, sweetheart?" she said and then straightened up, walking a few steps away. I followed as she gathered with Chin and Danny and said, "I know who this guy is."

"How?" Danny and I asked at the same time.

"Because he set off several bombs in New York when I was working bomb squad there. We knew who it was, but we never caught him." She sighed and looked to me. "I need you to dial a number for me and put it on speakerphone. I'm going to need help with this bomb."

I nodded and took my phone out. When I was ready to dial, I said, "Go."

She gave me the number from memory and we all listened to it ring a few times. Just when I started to think that no one would answer, a man's voice came over the line. "Yeah, this is Nichols."

"Josh," Allie said. "It's Allie."

There was a pause and then a deep laugh. "Tiny Dancer. You don't call, you don't write…"

"I've been sending up smoke signals," Allie replied. "I guess you haven't been looking hard enough. Listen, I really need your help."

He was instantly serious. "Sure, sure. What's going on?"

"There's a bomb here made by Davis Bradley."

"Davis Bradley?!" the man asked. "You sure?"

"Positive," she said and began to describe the traits of the bomb that were the same as this Davis guy's. When she'd finished, Josh let out a long sigh.

"I kind of hoped that he'd died in his own blast or gotten himself arrested for something else. Okay. Let's do this. You ready, kid?"

Allie took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "Yeah. I'm ready."

So, I held the phone while Allie knelt in front of Hannah again and told Josh every detail of what she was doing. She only made moves once he had agreed with her decisions and it took almost ten minutes, but the bomb was finally disabled and two men came to lock it up and put it away.

"I've already put calls in to the appropriate departments," Josh told her. "You've got people headed your way to try to find this son of a bitch. In the meantime, I'd suggest that you all lock down the airports and marinas."

"Done," I told him. "Thank you so much for your help."

"Allie did all of the work," Josh said. "And kid?"

"Yeah?" Allie asked.

"Remember the sunset."

It was as cryptic as a statement could be, but Allie nodded with a fond smile. "I remember. Don't worry."

"Call if you need me." Then he said a quick goodbye and hung up.

Allie stuck around to talk to the bomb squad about what she'd found and how to disable that kind of bomb, if they ever ran into it again. The rest of us decided to head back to HQ and wait on more cases. I also needed to write an update for the governor.

"We're headed out," I went to tell Allie.

She didn't even look at me. "Yeah, no problem."

"You're off suspension, by the way," I said. "In case you were wondering."

"Okay."

Clearly, I wasn't going to get anything else out of her, so I grit my teeth and walked away, shrugging out of my gear as I walked. Once at HQ, I walked into my office, closed the door, and sat behind my desk, musing. I should have been doing work, but all that I could think about was where it had gone wrong.

Allie

 _Remember the sunset._

As if I could ever forget.

After the very first bomb that I'd ever disarmed by myself, I'd been shaky. Even though it had been successful, I kept having nightmares that it _hadn't_ been successful and it had blown up and killed a lot of people. I started to lose a lot of sleep, stopped eating… it was a really hard time for me.

Josh Nichols had been the guy that had trained me, and he was a long-time veteran of the bomb squad. He'd noticed what was going on, even though I'd tried to deny it and claim that I was perfectly fine. So, one day, he'd come to get me and told me that we had some training to do. I'd argued that I was done with my training, but he was still my senior officer and he'd ordered me to go with him.

We'd driven for a long time through the city and he hadn't said much – The Beatles had been playing from a CD. He'd kept repeating "Here Comes the Sun", until the words were stuck in my head. I'd wanted to tell him to turn it off, but I hadn't wanted to be so bold. We weren't really that close yet and I hadn't known how far I could push him.

We were gone all day and when we'd gotten to the beach, I'd been surprised. "It'll be dark soon."

He'd smiled at me as he'd parked and gotten out of the car. "Yes, I know. That's the point. Come on."

With no foreseeable choice, I had gotten out of the car and followed him out onto the sand. We must have looked humorous – him in his work boots, cargo pants, and black tee, and me in much the same. We had garnered some strange look from the departing beachgoers, all of them dressed in swimsuits and flip flops.

Josh hadn't seemed to care one bit, and he'd simply led me to the edge of the water before tossing down a couple of towels that he'd grabbed from the back of his SUV. "Take a seat," he'd told me and had done so himself, staring out over the water.

I'd done as he'd instructed, thinking that he was insane. "What are we doing here?"

"Wait for it," he'd told me and had taken his cell phone out of his pocket, pushing a few buttons before "Here Comes the Sun" began to play all over again.

"You must really like this song," I'd told him, pushing down my annoyance.

He'd smiled at me. "You'll see."

And then I had.

The sky had turned a variety of beautiful colors as the sun began to set, and I'd been in awe of how beautiful it was.

"How long has it been since you've seen a sunset?" Josh had asked me, watching my reaction.

"A really long time."

He'd nodded. "Every time that I have a tough case or things are starting to get bad for any reason, I come out here and watch the sunset."

"And listen to The Beatles."

"It fits," he'd told me. "It reminds me that the sun will always go down and will always come up. And no matter what happened or what's going to happen, time goes on and everything will be okay, even if it takes a little time."

I'd smiled over at him. "Thank you. I really needed this."

"I know." We'd stayed there until it was finally dark, and then he'd taken me back to my car. And from then on, after any case, he had reminded me to remember the sunset.

So, I sat on the beach behind my house with Gideon playing in the water, and I watched as the sun began to sink low in the sky. And when it finally began to turn all of those beautiful colors, I smiled and remembered the very first time that I had actually taken the time to watch the sunset.

And I turned on the music.

" _Here comes the sun, doo doo doo. Here comes the sun, and I say. It's all right. Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter…"_


	17. A Desperate Plan

… **..**

 **Wow. I put out a couple of harder challenges and you all still nailed it. I can't believe that this story now has 100 reviews! The support you've given me has been incredible; I couldn't ask for better readers. The two challenges presently up for a new chapter before Friday are: 110 reviews or 50 follows.**

 **This chapter was also hard to write… I'm not liking this. Unfortunately, I have all of my chapters planned out and I don't feel like I can change anything without messing up my other chapters, so I just had to keep thinking and taking breaks and trying to make it all work out. I hope this doesn't disappoint you guys.**

 **Thanks to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or shown support for my story in any way. I appreciate each and every one of you very much and I hope that you continue to enjoy.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Seventeen: A Desperate Plan_

Allie

The time began to pass and at first, it was hard, but it soon became the new normal. Steve and I danced around each other at the office and out in the field. Anything that he needed to tell only me, he typically sent me a text message or an e-mail. We never rode together and never ate lunch in the same place. It soon became habit to avoid him.

I was certain that the rest of the team had figured it out, but they hadn't said anything to me. If they were bothering Steve about it, he gave no indication. Life just went on in its new normal. After work, I took it upon myself to try new things. I started learning how to surf and found out that I was actually quite good at it. I bought some new power yoga DVDs and did those at home. I started reading some books from the NY Times Bestseller list. Anything to keep me preoccupied and my mind steered away from Steve McGarrett.

I had everyone fooled that I was doing just fine, but there was one person that I would never be able to fool.

"Kol," I answered when he called me one Thursday night. "How's it going?"

"I'm at the Venetian Macao. You should join me."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "You know I'm not crazy about China. Mandarin isn't my language."

"You speak it better than the rest of us."

"Languages always _were_ my thing. What are you doing in China, anyway?"

"Wanted to go gambling," he said simply. For Kol, it really _was_ that simple. Sometimes I envied him, and then I remembered that he wasn't exactly involved in a _stable_ lifestyle. He moved around all of the time. "It's one of the nicest casinos in the world."

"Yes, I'm aware." I'd been raised to know such things. "But why now?"

"Because I felt like it." He laughed. "You could do it too, you know. Quit your job and be like me. Fly all over the world pulling jobs for people. Trust me, the private sector is where the money is. And with your skill set, people would pay _big_. No more punching a time card."

"I don't punch a time card," I reminded him.

"No, but you're on call." Distaste colored his voice. "You don't have a choice when it comes to which cases to work. But you could in the private sector."

"This isn't the first time that you've tried to talk me into this, and my answer is still no. I like working on the official radar."

"Except in the case of the CIA."

"That was a one-time thing." I stared out the window and into the night as sadness overtook me. "And it was a mistake."

"So you keep saying, without any kind of explanation. But it's okay… one of these days, you'll tell me what happened."

"Doubtful," I said and moved away from the window to sit on my bed. "Did you only call to tell me that you're living the dream in China?"

"I can't just want to hear my twin's voice?"

I sighed and laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I suppose you can."

There was a pause and then his voice grew serious. "Okay, what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean. Something's off. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," I lied.

He scoffed. "Right, of course. You think I don't know when you're lying? I was there when you told your very first lie."

"I lied to try to take some of the blame off of you," I reminded him. "Because Dad said that if you threw one more ball in the house and broke something, he was going to leave you with Nana while the rest of us went to Italy. And I knew that you didn't want to miss that trip."

"Yes, I recall," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But you were a terrible liar, I got in trouble anyway, and I stayed with Nana in South Dakota while the rest of you went to Italy."

"Nana lived in Nebraska."

"Whatever. At least your lying has improved a little bit. Now, tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened."

"You're upset. And lying about it. Do I need to fly to Hawaii and kick someone's ass?"

I smiled at the image. "Don't you mean _pay someone_ to kick someone's ass? You don't like to get your hands dirty. Never have, in fact. You cried when someone stuck your hand into your first birthday cake."

"This is off topic," he said, but I knew that he was really just embarrassed about the memory. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

 _Well… Steve McGarrett and I kissed… like all night long. And then when we woke up the next morning, he regretted it and we've been avoiding each other ever since._ "No."

He sighed in frustration. "You've always been difficult."

"You're one to talk."

"I… can't honestly object to that," he said. "Hold that thought, okay?" There was a clicking sound and a few moments later, he said, "I'm back."

"Are you on surveillance right now?" The clicking sound could have easily been from a camera. And cameras in Kol's line of work typically indicated surveillance. Which could be dangerous.

"Yeah," he said. "But don't worry, this is my last day of it. Then, I'm going back to the casino to win even more money, and then I'll head back home."

"Which home?" He owned four.

"Haven't decided yet. Probably New York. What are we doing for our birthday this year?"

"Absolutely _nothing_ ," I said, the warning clear in my voice. For the last several years, Kol had always managed to rope me into some big birthday trip – skiing in the Alps, climbing Everest, African safaris… "We're getting older and can't keep going on those crazy trips."

"They're fun!" he defended.

I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me. "I haven't racked up that many vacation days."

"Then I'll come to Hawaii," he said. "We can do something cool there. You start looking into it, okay?"

If I agreed, he would shut up about it. "Okay. I'll look into it."

"Swimming with dolphins," he suggested. "That would be cool. I've always wanted to swim with dolphins. Do they do that in Hawaii?"

"I think so. I'll look into it."

"Great." He sighed and grew serious again. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what's bothering you? I'm great with life advice."

"No, you're not."

"Well… fine, I'm not. But I _am_ great with _you_ advice, because I've known you all my life. I have literally never existed without you."

"You say that all the time. But I'm not telling you just because you play the twin card."

"Damn," he sighed. "It's my best card. Just promise that you'll tell me if you need anything."

"I promise."

"Great," he said. "I have to go and finish this job. I miss you and I'll try to make it back to the island soon."

"Miss you too," I told him. "Be safe."

"You too." He hung up and I tossed the phone aside with a sigh.

Even though I had done my best to fill my evenings with activities, it had been a long few weeks. I felt like I was constantly trying to push away thoughts of Steve McGarrett, and it was beyond frustrating. It's not like I was a middle school girl that had just had her first kiss – I'd kissed plenty of guys before. Hell, I'd even had _sex_ before, but it hadn't messed with my mind. Steve and I hadn't even had sex, but I couldn't stop thinking about him.

"It's some kind of sorcery," I groaned when I heard Gideon come into the room. "Why couldn't you have… I don't know… _bitten_ him or something?"

He growled a protest.

"I know, I know. You only bite bad guys. But _bad_ can cover a wide variety of sins. Like doing things to someone's brain. That's a bad thing. Kissing someone so thoroughly that they feel like their head is swimming. That's a bad thing. Well… not too bad, but… bad enough." I sighed and sat up, looking to my dog. "Am I crazy?"

The fact that he turned and trotted out of the room wasn't very comforting.

"Fine!" I called after him. "Be that way! You're not much of a friend!"

There was no response, of course.

After a few moments, I climbed off of my bed and opened the bottom drawer of the bedside table. Inside was a puzzle box, and I easily opened it and took out the photo inside. I'd done it many, many times throughout the years to remind me that nothing lasted forever.

Even if things had worked out between me and Steve, it couldn't have lasted.

Nothing ever did.

Once I'd felt the effects of the contents of the box, I closed it back up and put it away. Everything wasn't magically better, but I planned to keep reminding myself that things didn't always go the way that we thought they should. Maybe it just hadn't been meant to be.

I guess the real problem was that I just felt so stupid for letting myself get caught up in the moment. For allowing myself to start to fall for him before I was certain of his feelings for me. It had been stupid, and it wasn't going to happen again.

"Gideon!" I called as I walked down the stairs. "I'm going for another run. Do you want to come?"

He hopped up from his bed and ran to the back door, a definite yes. I laughed and clipped on his leash before we walked out the back door together.

And as my feet pounded against the sand, I allowed myself to remember, and also to forget.

Steve

Yeah, I hadn't exactly handled it well. I'd been shocked, really, when Allie had so casually said that we'd just gotten a little crazy and she knew that the night had meant nothing. It wasn't at all what I'd been trying to tell her that morning, but she hadn't exactly given me a chance to talk before she'd rushed out the door to go on her morning run.

I should have chased her down the stairs and insisted that she let me talk, even if I had to go on the run with her. I should have grabbed her arm and prevented her from leaving the room, even if she tried to fight me back. I should have insisted that she ride with me to the bomb scene. I should have insisted that we needed to talk after she had disarmed the bomb. I should have forced her to talk to me in the weeks following.

So many things that I could have done differently, but I hadn't. My silence had made everything worse, even though I had only tried to justify it to myself by insisting that it was what Allie wanted. She didn't want to talk to me, so I sent texts and e-mails when I needed to tell her something. She never came out to lunch with the rest of us, so I stopped inviting her to go with us.

I hadn't told the team what had happened, but I knew that they suspected that something was going on. Danny had told me as much – several times – but I refused to tell him what had happened beyond that I had apologized for suspending her and things had gotten heated. He'd pushed for more, like he always did, but I'd held fast. He didn't need to know about the night we'd spent together.

But… I did need his help for the plan that I had finally hatched after weeks on end of being miserable and blaming myself and feeling sorry for myself.

"I need a favor," I told him as we were getting ready to head out.

He groaned. "Come on, Steve. It's a Friday night. I'm about to go pick up Grace."

"Luckily, I have no plans to disrupt your time with your daughter," I told him. "In fact, the favor is to not answer the phone if I call."

His eyes widened in surprise, just as I had suspected they would. "You're serious?"

"I'm serious," I said. "And that goes for Allie, too. Don't answer if she calls you."

The surprise was replaced with suspicion. "What are you planning?"

"I just want to get back in her good graces."

"And your plan somehow involves me not answering the phone?"

"Please?"

He deliberated for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, fine. But mostly so that I don't have to talk to you over the weekend."

"Good. Thank you." Luckily for me, getting Chin and Kono to agree was a little bit easier. But I did need a little something extra from Chin.

"I called my uncle," he told me when he called me about an hour later. "He said you're welcome to take his boat out, but you'd better not get it jacked again. You're lucky; this took a lot of convincing."

I was relieved. "Thank you so much."

"He's waiting for you on the docks. Are you going to tell me what you have planned?"

"Nope."

"Okay." Unlike Danny, he didn't press. "Guess I'll see you Monday, then."

Chin's uncle met me at the boat and gave me a stern look to rival Joe's. "You keep my boat safe this time, you hear me, Commander McGarrett?"

"It was returned in one piece last time," I said defensively, but he only narrowed his eyes at me. "Look." I patted the gun attached to my hip. "I have this on hand this time. If anyone tries to climb aboard and jack the boat, I'll shoot them."

He nodded his approval and handed me the keys. "But if that happens, _you_ have to clean up the blood."

Of course. "Understood, sir. Thank you so much."

He left and I did all of the checks that I always did before I took a boat out. When I was satisfied that everything was in good condition and would run correctly, I set out for the open water, a destination already in mind.

It took me fifteen minutes to reach it and, once I had, I turned the boat off and pulled out my phone. And, praying that she didn't know much about boats, I dialed Allie's number.

Allie

Steve had called me four times in five minutes.

I didn't want to answer, but with that many calls… it could be a case.

When he called for the fifth time, I picked up and didn't bother with pleasantries. "Do we have a case?"

"Deep sea operation," he said and as I moved to put on my shoes, he said, "I, uh… I ran out of gas."

I froze in the middle of slipping on one of my shoes. "What do you mean, you ran out of gas?"

"Chin's uncle owns a boat and he lets me use it to go fishing. I was headed out to my favorite spot and I'd just reached it when I ran out of gas. I won't be able to get back. I tried to call Danny, but it's his night with Grace and he's ignoring me. Chin and Kono didn't answer, either."

"Maybe you're just in a bad spot," I said. "Let me try them."

"I doubt that's going to work," he said, "but go ahead. Keep me on the other line, though. I don't want to end up unable to call you back."

"Fine." But no one answered when I tried to call them, even though I tried twice. "They're not answering."

"Like I said," he told me. "So? Can you help me out?"

I hated to admit it, but… "I don't know anything about boats."

"What do you mean?"

I let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know anything about boats. I don't like them. I mean, I've been _in_ boats a few times before, but I'm no naval officer."

"Don't worry about it," he told me. "I'll send you my coordinates and you can put it into your boat's GPS and it should guide you right to me."

"I don't _have_ a boat."

"Kamekona does." He was being quite the problem solver. "Just go to his shrimp truck and tell him that I ran out of gas and I'm in trouble. He'll give you the keys to his boat and tell you how to get to it. You just turn it on, kind of like a car, and steer it. It's all pretty simple."

I made a mental note to Google directions, once Kamekona told me what kind of boat it was. The last thing that I wanted was to be shipwrecked when no one knew where I was except a guy that was stranded in the middle of the ocean and couldn't reach anyone but me.

"We're both going to die," I grumbled as I grabbed my keys and headed for the door.

He laughed. Actually _laughed_. "No, we're not. You'll get the hang of it. You seem very capable."

"I'm serious when I say that I don't do much with the water," I warned him. "I've taken up surfing recently, but that's really my only water activity that I've taken up since moving to Hawaii. I've SCUBA dived before, but that was required for the CIA."

"No one is asking you to SCUBA dive," he reminded me. "I'm not even asking you to _swim_. Just to bring Kamekona's boat out here to rescue me."

"This is insane," I growled and started my car. "Do I need to stop and get gas on the way? What kind of gas does a boat even use?" I cursed how little I knew about boats and the water, in general. I hadn't really been exposed to those kinds of things during my youth, nor during any of my previous jobs. Maybe I should have taken the time to learn at some point.

"You don't need to stop and get gas." That, at least, was a relief. "When you get here, I'll use some rope to connect our boats and then you can tow me back to the docks. But you should get here as fast as you can. It's going to be dark soon and that'll slow down our progress because I don't think Kamekona's boat has lights."

"Why did you have to go fishing today?" I groaned.

He was defensive. "I just wanted to go fishing. It's been a long day. You know… boring. No cases. Hardly anything to consult on. I just wanted to get out here and get some excitement. It's a good spot to fish for tuna."

I felt myself making a face. "Do you _eat_ the tuna that you catch?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?''

 _Because that sounds disgusting?_ "I don't know… I mean… I've eaten tuna out of a can and everything but… the thought of catching one and then eating it…"

"It's not like I eat it _raw_."

"I know you don't, but still. It just sounds weird. Do you gut it yourself and everything?"

"And take out the bones and grill it."

"Gross." I made a right turn and sped up. "I'm already headed for Kamekona's truck. Once I get there, I'll get the keys and head your way. Didn't you say that you were going to send me some coordinates to follow or something?"

"Yes," he said. "I sent them to you in a text. You _do_ know about coordinates, right?"

I felt affronted. "Coordinates aren't only used at sea, Commander. Of course I know how coordinates work. Just because I can't steer a boat… I'm not an idiot."

"I never said you were!" he said defensively. "I was just making sure that you knew what you were doing."

"Aside from not being able to drive the boat that I'm coming to pick you up in… yeah, I know what I'm doing."

He sighed. "I guess I don't really have a choice. Call me if you have any trouble." And then he hung up the phone.

"Son of a bitch," I muttered angrily and depressed the gas pedal.


	18. A Good Lie

… **..**

 **This story now has 50 follows, and as promised, here is your new chapter! Thank you all so much for the support! The next two goals are: 110 reviews and 40 favorites.**

 **This chapter wasn't as easy as the first few ones were, either. I mean, not as much of a challenge as the last few, but definitely not as easy as they used to be. So, now I feel like the rest of the story is going to be hard to write. Oh, well. I plan to get it finished in advance and then edit so that I can keep giving you all quick updates. So… you're actually getting this message a week or so after I'm writing it.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following this story. Your support keeps me going. Keep it up!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eighteen: A Good Lie_

Allie

I'd gotten the engine started, but now I was looking at all of the buttons and gears and crap that I didn't know what to do with. I'd pulled up instructions on the boat from Google, but they weren't a ton of help. I'd never driven a boat before and I was terrified; Google couldn't do anything about that.

It was slow going, but I finally got the boat pulled away from the dock with several very jerky movements. Once I was well away, I sped it up and almost sent myself flying over the side. Immediately, I slowed it down and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

"Okay," I finally whispered to myself when I was ready. "Let's just take this nice and easy."

As slowly as if I had my hand on a bomb, I pushed the lever forward, one centimeter at a time, until it was going a speed that I was comfortable with. I blew out a relieved breath and then glanced at the GPS, where the glowing red dot showed me where Steve was stranded. The other dot was the boat I was in, and I adjusted the course like I thought I needed to.

Unfortunately, I was a little off, but I finally spotted a boat in the water not far from me. Feeling a little more victorious than I should have after all of my failings, I guided my boat over there. When I got close, I could see Steve standing there on the deck, waiting for me. He waved and I waved back as I drew near.

"I don't know how to attach myself to this thing," I called out, embarrassed by my own admission, even though he already knew that I didn't know much about boats.

"No problem!" he called back and passed me a rope. "Tie that to the boat and I'll pull you closer and help you on."

So, I tied the rope to the boat and then he pulled me closer. So close that our boats knocked a few times on the gently rolling water.

"Here." He offered me a hand and I took it, allowing him to pull me up and onto his boat.

As he stepped down and tied the rope more securely, I looked around. Kamekona's boat was significantly smaller than the boat Steve was on, which could pose a problem.

"How is that little boat supposed to pull this big one back to the docks?" I asked him. "It's small."

He glanced up from his work for only a moment. "Ever hear of tugboats?"

"I thought those were only in children's books."

I blushed when he laughed. "No, they're very real. But… I actually don't need you to tow me in."

Irritation flared. "Don't tell me that you found a spare can of gas somewhere after you'd already told me to come all the way out here to save your ass. You could have called to let me know that you didn't need me anymore."

He stepped back up onto the boat and faced me. "Yeah, well, that's the thing. I _did_ need you. That was the whole point of me coming out here."

"You lost me."

"Sit down," he requested and motioned for the long bench on the side of the boat. He sat down and patted the space next to him.

"No," I refused, stubborn as ever. "Tell me what's going on, Steve."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly. "I came out here and asked the team not to answer calls from me or you. Then I lied and said that I ran out of gas so that you'd come out here and help me."

"But you didn't run out of gas."

"No. This boat doesn't even run on gas."

Anger boiled through my veins and when I spoke, I knew that it came through loud and clear. "Are you serious? There's something wrong with your head. You couldn't have come to my house like a normal person or called me?!"

"I didn't think you'd answer!" he said defensively, and he was probably right. I mean, he'd had to call me five times before I'd answered. "And I didn't think you'd let me into your house. This was the only way."

"I can't believe you." I headed for Kamekona's boat and started to step down. "I'm out of here."

He grabbed my arm and when I looked up at him, his eyes were hard and unyielding. "No."

I felt myself reeling. "Excuse me? What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no." He pulled me back up onto the boat and spun me, putting himself squarely between me and my only way off of the boat.

There were about a million thoughts racing through my head, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Are you seriously _kidnapping_ me?"

"No," he said. "You came here and stepped onto the boat of your own free will."

"And now I'd like to go," I reminded him. "And you're preventing me from doing that. You can't hold me here against my will."

"Let me just say what I need to say," he pleaded with me.

I shook my head. "I don't want to talk to you. I can't make that any clearer."

"Then don't talk. Just listen. Please?"

And for reasons I didn't understand, I sighed and gestured for him to continue.

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "I just… bear with me, okay? I'm not the best with… apologies." He almost seemed to choke on the word.

I raised an eyebrow. "Apologies?"

"Apologies," he repeated. "I… I'm really sorry, Allie. Okay? I really am. For… for suspending you unfairly, and for everything that followed that. Hell, I'm even sorry for the way that I treated you in the beginning. I have no excuse for it; I don't understand it myself. But I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

I started to speak, but he held a hand up to indicate that he had more to say.

"But most of all, I'm sorry for letting you think that I regretted that night we spent together. Because I never did; that's not what I was trying to say that morning. And then I thought that maybe it was _you_ that regretted it, but I don't want to just _think_ anymore. I want to _know._ So, if you do regret it, please just tell me now so that I can accept that and move on."

My head was spinning and I was speechless. He hadn't regretted it? Then why had he _seemed_ like he had regretted it? Or… maybe I'd just _thought_ that I saw that he regretted it. Maybe he was telling the truth, and he hadn't regretted it at all.

Had it really just been a big misunderstanding?

When he saw that I was considering his words, he continued. "I should have never let you leave your house before I explained everything to you. That was my fault, and I'm sorry. I should have kissed you until you shut up and then told you that it was the best night of my life. I'm sorry that I didn't."

I felt a million different things, and I was having trouble making sense of them all. He was clearly waiting for me to say something, but I was at a loss for words.

After a few moments, he stepped forward and took my hands. His were warm and strong, and he squeezed gently as he spoke again. "I'm crazy about you, Allie. I think I was crazy about you from the beginning and I was trying to fight it and that's why I was a jerk to you. That has to be it, because there's no other explanation for my behavior. And instead of doing something about it, I just let this tension build up until it exploded. And then we shared a night and… I was a coward. I let you push me away. And, I promise, if you _do_ want to push me away, then I'll go. But… if you're willing to give this a chance…"

I took my hands away from his with much effort and turned away, unable to look at his face for much longer. The sun was sinking low in the sky and I knew that darkness was coming.

 _Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter…_

I shook the lyrics away. "I don't know, Steve. I… It wouldn't work."

"You don't know that. That's the excuse I tried to make to myself, but it's total bullshit and you know it. There's something between us and it's worth a shot. You just have to be brave and take a chance."

I let out a humorless laugh. "I'm not a _take a chance_ kind of person, Steve. For God's sake, I was on the _bomb squad_." I turned to face him and prayed that he couldn't see the tears in my eyes. But by the way that his own expression softened, I knew that he did, and I felt weak for crying. "You don't take chances on the bomb squad. People _die_ if you take chances on the bomb squad."

"No one is going to die if our relationship doesn't work out." He stepped closer but didn't reach for me. "But I don't think there's any danger of that. Can't you feel all the _electricity_ between us? It's been there since day one and I wish I'd been brave enough to act on it sooner, but I'm going to have to settle for now. Even Kol knew that it was there."

I felt my forehead wrinkle in confusion. "What do you mean Kol knew?" And as I said it, I remembered when he'd asked me why I was all dressed up. And if there was a thing between me and Steve. Yes… maybe Kol _had_ sensed it all along.

"When I was taking him to the airport, he said that he'd noticed that there was something between us," Steve told me, much to my surprise. Kol hadn't mentioned anything about that, even on the phone call where he'd been able to tell that I was upset about something. "He said that we'd be good together."

"Kol doesn't know everything. Trust me." I forced a laugh. "I could tell you some stories…"

"Yes." He stepped closer, his look intense. "Tell me stories about your childhood and your family. Tell me how you like your shoes organized. Tell me your favorite restaurants and your favorite hiding spots and _everything_ about you. I want to know. I want to know you just as well as I know myself. Allie…" He took my hands and his look turned pleading. "Give this a chance. Please. I'll move as fast or slow as you want, just… give this a chance."

"Steve…" I didn't even know what I wanted to say. My mind was at war with itself and it felt like every single thing about my life was hinging on this one decision.

"I don't know if this will help you make up your mind, but… you deserve to know, anyway." He stepped away from me and gestured for me to sit down, which I did just because I almost felt dizzy from everything running around in my head. "There was a woman that I was with for a while… her name was Catherine."

I thought that I'd heard him mention her before, but I couldn't be sure. In the last few weeks, I had been tuning him out when he talked. "Okay?"

"We never defined a relationship, and we should have. That was a big mistake that I made with her. And by the time that I _did_ want to define a relationship, she had figured out that her job was more important to her than her relationship to me. Whether that was because she didn't think I was as serious about her as I was my job or because she really didn't want to give up her job… I'll never know. But I learned a lot from that. I learned that when there's something good right in front of you, you have to grab it and hold onto it as tightly as you can. And that's what I see with you. Something that could be… even better than good."

"What kind of relationship did you have with her?" I was buying myself some time, but I was also genuinely curious about this woman that he'd had a relationship with before.

"Catherine and I served in the Navy together. We were kind of on again, off again. Like I said, we never defined a relationship. But I did love her, and she loved me… it just wasn't the all-consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love that you see in the movies. I was ready to propose to her before she left, but I just recently figured out that I would only have been proposing to get her to stay. Not because I actually wanted to be married to her. She'd just been a part of my life for so long that I wanted a way to ensure that she would stay in it."

"Abandonment issues?" I asked him, almost amused.

He shrugged. "A few, maybe. I mean… my mother died when I was sixteen and my father was killed a few years ago… I guess it felt like everyone important in my life was disappearing."

"Is that why you got so upset when I got hurt?" Some things were starting to make sense.

"I think so," he answered me. "You've been important to me since day one, even if I was too stubborn to admit it to myself until recently. I didn't want to lose you. I still don't. And what I feel for you… it's stronger than anything I ever felt for Catherine."

After what he'd just said about her, that surprised me. But I kept that hidden. "Isn't that what all guys say when they move on to a new girl?"

He shook his head. "It's been over for a while now. A whole year. And, I promise, I'm over her. Like I said, I realized that it wasn't necessarily _her_ that I wanted. It was the familiarity."

"And with me?"

"It's you." He knelt down in front of me. "I know that I have no right to ask this of you after everything that I've put you through, but I'm asking you for a chance. A chance to show you everything that we could be. A chance to be with you in every conceivable way. A chance. Please."

"I've never had a… _relationship_ before," I admitted to him. Yet another thing that I had no experience with. "I don't know if I'd be any good at it."

He moved to sit beside me on the bench, smiling at me, the light of the sinking sun reflecting in his eyes. "It's work. Hard work. But I know that we can do it."

"Isn't there a thing against workplace romances?"

"Immunity and means."

"Ah, right." I sighed. "Still… I think it should be on the DL until it's a real thing."

"What do you mean, _a real thing_?" he asked me. "It's either a relationship or it's not."

I heaved a frustrated sigh. "You know what I mean. Until it's… more… steady."

His whole face seemed to light up. "Are you saying yes?"

"It's not like you asked me to marry you or anything," I teased him, unable to fight my smile. "Don't get all excited."

"There's not a chance that I won't," he said and then and there, beneath the gorgeous setting sun, he pulled me into a kiss.

It felt just like it had that night he'd stayed over at my house, as if no time at all had passed between then and now. He pulled me closer and cupped my face with one hand, gently, as if I was the most precious thing in the world. And even though normally I didn't like to be treated like I was fragile, I actually liked it.

I kissed him back with all of the pain and frustration of the last few weeks and he responded in kind, like two fires merging into one raging, unstoppable blaze. Our bodies were pressed tightly against one another, welded together by the heat. I didn't think that we would ever be able to separate, but then we did, gasping for breath.

"Okay," he said and glanced over at the sun, breathing hard. "Okay. Sun's almost down."

"So?" How could he care about the sun after the kiss we'd just shared?

He laughed at the look on my face. "I know you think I'm crazy. But it's going to be dark soon, and we should probably get back to the docks."

"Surely you know how to navigate a boat in the dark," I said, but I stood up nonetheless. He was the experienced sailor and if he said we needed to head back, then we needed to head back. I'd proved myself rather helpless when it came to boats.

"I do," he said with a laugh and moved for the controls of the bigger boat. "But the sooner we get back, the sooner we can go off somewhere a little more… private."

I dramatically looked out at the water. "Oh. Are there other people out here?"

He laughed at me and rolled his eyes. "Come here. I'll teach you how to drive the boat."

"Yeah," I said as I approached the controls. "I'll need to know how for the next time that a guy calls me and tells me that he ran out of gas on a boat that doesn't even run on gas."

"There better not be another guy," he teased me, but there was also a hint of dominance in his voice that I found to be quite primal. It sent a pleasant chill down my spine, even though I never would have thought that I'd like to feel like a possession.

"What do we do, Captain?"

"Commander," he corrected me as he positioned me in front of him and nipped at my ear. "Okay. Quick lesson."

He pointed out the different controls and even tested me on them after he was done. I did fairly well for the most part, only forgetting two of the buttons. "Not bad," he told me and we took off, him helping me steer.

"Not bad isn't perfect," I told him, frustrated with myself. "I try to be perfect."

"You are." He kissed my neck, making it incredibly hard to concentrate. I made a mental note to tell him not to ever do that while I was driving.

"Not at this and definitely not at Hawaiian."

"Hawaiian?" he asked me. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I'm normally really good with languages. I speak nine of them fluently and a couple more conversationally. I thought that since I was going to be on the island for a while, I should learn some of the native phrases, you know? People do that when they move to a new place. Makes it easier to communicate with everyone."

"Yeah?" he said, prompting me to continue.

"So, I started taking surfing lessons from this native Hawaiian guy, and I asked him if he could teach me some of the language while we surfed since he's fluent and we'd be out there anyway. I even pay him a little extra to do it."

"So, what's the problem?" he asked me and corrected our course just a little bit.

"The problem is that I'm _terrible_ at it!" I complained. "I've always been so good at languages, but I just can't seem to get Hawaiian."

"It's actually called Pidgin," he laughed. "And if you want, I can start trying to help you, too. I grew up here, you know, and I speak it pretty well."

"I'm not sure it would help, but you can try." I sighed. "It may just be one of the languages my brain refuses to learn."

"Well, I'll try to teach you," he told me, and then I felt his hands around my waist. Slowly, they moved in and… lower. "I can teach you other things, too."

Within moments, I was lost in a wonderful world of sensation as the last rays of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.


	19. A Night To Remember

… **..**

 **Wow, you all helped meet two goals in one day… again! I'm going to have to start putting up more challenging goals! This chapter is for helping me reach 110 reviews (I still can't even believe that I'm over 100). My next two goals are: 125 reviews and 40 favorites.**

 **So, some of you may have noticed that the rating changed from T to M. Let me explain.**

 **Yes, there is a… scene in this chapter. I don't think that I'm super explicit, but when I looked up the guidelines that are provided on the site, I felt like maybe it was a little more suited to M than to T. However, if you think that it could stay at a T rating, please let me know and I'll consider it and change it back, if necessary. I want to reach as broad of an audience as possible, so I would have preferred to keep the T rating… I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry.**

 **Thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story and/or me. Also, thanks to those of you that have private messaged me asking questions about my characters, my writing style, or just to tell me how much you've enjoyed the story. I appreciate you all very much and enjoy my conversations with you.**

 **I hope that you enjoy the chapter and, again, let me know if you think I could go back down on the rating.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Nineteen: A Night to Remember_

Steve

I helped Allie guide the boat to its spot and showed her how to properly tie it off. She practiced reluctantly, complaining that she would never need to know how to tie a boat off.

"You live in Hawaii now," I reminded her. "I'd be willing to bet that this won't be your last time on a boat."

"It will be if _I_ have anything to say about it."

Finally, she got the boat all tied off and we went to return Kamekona's boat to its spot. She tied that one off as well and then I followed her to her Camaro.

"What are you doing?" she asked me, pointing to my truck, which was parked a few spaces down. "You're over there."

"I thought I'd ride with you." I just couldn't wipe the grin off of my face, no matter how hard I tried. It felt like, for once, everything was going right in my world. I hadn't felt like that since before my mom had died in that car accident.

"Danny would get jealous," she teased me. "That would make twice that you've ridden shotgun in my car."

"We just won't tell him." When she unlocked the door, I got into the passenger side and buckled up, "Bring on The Beatles."

She laughed as she started up the car and some other, far more recent song started to play. "No Beatles today. I decided to catch up on the recent hits."

The song had a fast, hard beat and probably would have been catchy to anyone else, but I didn't like it. After a full minute of letting it damage my eardrums, I reached out and changed the station to one that played the best hits from the eighties.

"Hey!" Allie protested.

I was surprised. "You _liked_ that shit?"

"No," she said, "but I need to stay current."

"CIA thing?"

"Maybe."

I rolled my eyes but turned it back to the previous station, turning down the volume as I did so. "Fine. I can't believe you can tolerate this."

"Aren't you trained to withstand torture?" Her smile told me that she found the situation humorous.

"Yes. So the fact that this is a little much should tell you something."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Chill out. We'll be at Kamekona's in a couple of minutes. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

Once at Kamekona's, we dropped off the keys and got a couple of plates of sweet and sour shrimp, a new recipe that Allie had apparently helped him perfect. He even gave her a plate for free as a thank you for all of her input. I had to pay.

"That hardly seems fair," I told her once we'd gotten our plates and chosen a table. "Me having to pay when you didn't."

She shrugged and opened up her coconut water. "I told him that I'd only help him if he gave me free shrimp plates for a month. A lot of people had been requesting sweet and sour shrimp, so it was worth it to him."

"How did he even know you can cook?"

"Danny has a big mouth," she said. "And Kono backed it up. Kamekona is quite the bargainer, though."

"Yeah, no kidding."

She leaned slightly closer and asked me, "Does this all seem crazy to you? You tricked me onto your boat like an hour ago and now we're in a relationship."

"Too fast?" I asked her, worried that she was going to change her mind about giving me a chance.

"No," she assured me. "It just seems… crazy. I told you I've never been in a relationship before and I feel like I'm going to screw it up."

"You're human. You'll make mistakes. I'll make mistakes. We'll get through them."

Letting out a breath, she nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I'm just asking you to be patient with me."

"Always," I vowed.

"And I don't want the rest of the team to know just yet," she said, almost like we were negotiating. What she didn't know was that I was willing to do almost anything to be with her. "Not until it feels solid."

"Done." I couldn't help the teasing tone of my voice. "Do I need to sign something, or…?"

She rolled her eyes and shoved my shoulder. "Stop. I'm serious."

"I know. I know." I reached for my own coconut water and opened it up. "I promise, I agree."

"Good. So, tell me about your childhood."

"My childhood?"

She shrugged. "Seems like a good place to start."

"Okay." So, I told her about my parents and my sister, and what I'd been like as a child. My interests, my activities… everything that I thought was important. And I wanted to know about her childhood as well, but… it could wait.

We'd finished our shrimp plates and I took them and threw them away before returning to the table. "Ready to go?"

"Sure." She stood and we headed for the car. "Want me to take you back to your truck?"

"Actually…" I moved closer to her – as close as I possibly could without touching her in public. "I was kind of hoping you'd invite me over."

I could feel her shiver and it satisfied me to know that I could elicit such a response from her.

"Why does it have to be my house?" she asked me, likely buying herself time to gain back her clear head.

"We can go to mine if you'd rather," I told her as I circled around to the passenger side. "I just thought you'd want to be near Gideon to feed him and stuff."

"How considerate."

"I try."

She got into the car and started it. "Fine. My house it is. But what about your truck?"

I shrugged and buckled up. "You can drop me off tomorrow morning."

"Okay." She stopped at a light and then looked at me with a smile. "Do you want to come over and spend the night with me?"

"Love to," I said and reached over to take her hand.

Allie

I honestly wasn't sure how things were supposed to go. I'd invited Steve over to my house and that implied certain… things, but would he want to move that fast? I was okay with it because we'd shared a night together before and there'd been chemistry between us for a long time. But maybe he felt like he would spook me if we moved too quickly.

So, did we just let things happen naturally or did we make a plan? I didn't know, so I remained silent.

But Steve mistook my silence for something negative and reached over to grab my hand. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," I lied.

I was a really good liar, but he obviously had his suspicions and wasn't willing to let them go. "Really? Because you haven't said a word in five minutes."

"Just thinking."

"About?" he prompted.

I shrugged, embarrassed that there was yet _another_ thing that I was no good at and had no experience with – relationships. "I don't know… like I said back at Kamekona's, this all just feels so crazy. I mean, we haven't been talking for _weeks_."

"Yeah," he said. "Because we had a night together and then there was a big misunderstanding and we were both stubborn idiots. As long as we promise not to be stubborn idiots this time, I think everything will be okay."

"That'll be kind of difficult for you."

"Ouch!" he laughed. "That really hurts."

"It was supposed to."

He grew serious once more and kissed the back of my hand, sending electricity through my veins and all the way up to my brain. "Don't worry about anything, okay? This can move as fast or as slow as you want. Once we're in your house, everything moves at your pace."

"Fair enough." I pulled into my garage and then we both got out, heading inside. Gideon greeted us at the door and seemed mildly surprised to see Steve, but I called for him to come eat his dinner and he did so immediately.

"What language do you speak to him?" Steve asked me. "It sounds like German."

I filled Gideon's water bowl. "Dutch. The CIA guy that helped me train him taught it to me because that's what they use for their dogs."

"I think a lot of military dogs respond to Dutch commands," he said.

"They do." I straightened up and looked at him, suddenly unsure. He was tall and masculine, and his presence seemed to fill up my kitchen and dining area.

"So, what now?" he asked me, perhaps sensing the direction of my thoughts.

"I don't know," I admitted. "What do people in relationships _typically_ do when they're alone together?" I felt my face flame as I realized the obvious answer. "I mean besides… _that_."

He smiled and came closer. "Whatever you want to do. Walk on the beach, watch a movie, practice Pidgin…"

"Not the Pidgin thing," I laughed and allowed him to take my hand. "Maybe a walk on the beach, though. I like it at night. The peace, the seclusion…"

"I'm in." He pulled me to the door and Gideon joined us, eager to go out. I laughed as I let him out ahead of us and Steve asked, "Aren't you going to put him on his leash?"

"He doesn't need a leash," I assured him. "I only put him on one during the day so that no one calls and reports me because of that damn leash law."

He laughed. "The leash law is for dogs quite unlike Gideon. You know, the ones that run off and knock over kids in the park."

We left my backyard and Gideon headed out to splash in the water once he didn't hear a command to stay. Steve began to ask me questions about his training and before long, I felt totally at ease. I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of – either the relationship worked or it didn't. Either way, it wasn't going to be the end of the world.

 _Here comes the sun…_

We walked barefooted in the sand for a while and talked about nothing in particular. As the minutes passed, I grew more and more comfortable, and I knew what I wanted.

"Ready to head back?" I asked him after a while, and he agreed. As we began to walk back, I called for Gideon to come out of the water and he did, shaking off the droplets as he grew closer.

"You need a rinse," I told him.

"You're going to give him a bath?" Steve asked me.

"No. There's a doggie shower. It was one of the things I required from the governor."

"He must have really wanted you on the task force."

"That, or he had a house on the beach that he just really needed to get rid of."

"Yeah, how _did_ you nail a house on the beach?" Steve asked me. "I mean, my dad's house was passed down from my grandfather and my parents did a complete remodel when I was little, but that's the only reason I can afford to live on the beach. So, either the governor wanted you _that_ badly, or you have millions of dollars stashed away on an offshore account somewhere."

I didn't tell him that I _did_ actually have an offshore account. It wasn't relevant. "It was foreclosed on, so the governor snatched it up for me. I didn't request a house on the beach because I obviously don't go surfing or boating, but it was a nice perk. It's good for resistance on my runs in the mornings."

Steve watched me give Gideon a shower and helped me dry him off as much as was possible. Then, we all went inside and I ordered Gideon to stay in the kitchen so that he wouldn't get water all over the carpet.

"Ready for a shower?" I asked Steve casually. "I don't know about you, but wiping off my feet didn't get all of the sand off."

He gave me a suspicious look. "Are you… you mean… together?"

"Unless that's too scandalous for you." I'd thought that maybe seeing each other naked before things got physical would help me calm down a little bit. As it was, my heart was pounding at the thought of where I knew the evening was headed.

He shook his head and moved forward to take my hand. "Let's go."

I led him up the stairs, into my bedroom, and then into the attached bathroom. There, I turned on the water in the shower so that it could start to warm up. When I turned, Steve was already shrugging out of his shirt, so I followed suit.

His eyes were intense as he took me in and though I had thought I'd be embarrassed when he saw me for the first time without any clothes, I was actually pleased that he liked what he saw. I knew that I was _very_ physically fit and what most people would have considered attractive, but something about him thinking so made me want to jump with joy.

Once all of our clothes were on the floor, we stared at each other for a few long moments before I stepped back and moved into the shower. The warm water began to cascade down my body and I closed my eyes for a moment as I tilted my head back, allowing it to soak into my hair.

Mere seconds later he joined me, hands on my hips, fingers splayed. He pulled me in for a deep kiss and the water ran over us as our bodies touched and slid against each other.

I really did need a shower – but thankfully, I had shaved that morning – so I grabbed my shampoo and began to lather my hair.

"It's only mint and rosemary," I said as I handed Steve the bottle. "Nothing too girly."

"No one will be smelling my hair, anyway," he said and used it on his own hair.

We rinsed off and then I applied conditioner. While I rinsed it off, Steve insisted on doing the body wash, and he took his time massaging me as he went. I'd had a few professional massages over my lifetime, but I decided then and there that I would have rather had Steve's hands on me any day of the week.

Once everything was rinsed off, we stepped out and toweled off, "helping" each other as we did.

"I need to dry my hair a little bit," I told him apologetically as I plugged in my blow drier. "Otherwise the sheets will get all wet and it's gross, trust me."

"Hey, fine with me," he said with a teasing grin. "I'm enjoying the view."

But he enjoyed more than just the view, and his hands ran all over my body as I dried my hair just enough that it wouldn't cause any problems. Then, I couldn't take it anymore and I wheeled around and jumped into his arms, catching him off guard.

He kissed me fervently and carried me into the bedroom, dumping me right onto the middle of the bed as I giggled.

Without giving me more than five seconds to recover, he climbed over me and pressed his body against mine, kissing me with the same passion that I had experienced from him that first time that he had kissed me. It was an explosion – wild and hot and primal.

I ran my hands along the muscles of his back and when his lips moved to my neck, I dug my fingers in, praying that I didn't scratch him up too badly. He didn't seem to mind… actually, he moaned and kissed me harder, his teeth scraping against my skin, which only turned me on even more. It was a beautiful push and pull of power and control, and it felt completely right for us.

Steve and I were people that liked to be in control but here, together in this bed, we had a natural instinct to perfectly share it.

I was just getting used to his mouth on my breasts when he began kissing a trail lower and lower… dangerously low.

I shot upright, making him pause. "What are you doing?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't know what I'm doing?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "I do. I just… no one has ever…"

He nodded his understanding. "Want me to stop?"

My answer was immediate. "I… no."

He nodded and smiled at me, moving one hand up to gently push me back down onto my back. "Then take a breath and relax."

I did as he'd instructed and only moments later, he was awakening sensations that I'd never known I could experience. Steve McGarrett was talented at _many_ things, and this was _definitely_ one of them.

He stopped while I hovered on the edge, panting as I desperately tried to catch my breath. "Why are you stopping?" I asked between breaths.

He chuckled. "Tell me what you want."

As if there was even a question. "Make me fly," I requested, and he moved his mouth back to where I desired it the most.

I felt it then… the build up in a place that I hadn't even known existed. And then, blissfully, there was a very real explosion inside of me and I truly did begin to fly.

And, ten minutes later, he sent me up into the sky for a second time and this time, he joined me there.

We spent the rest of our awake time kissing and talking about inconsequential things. I wasn't sure when I finally fell asleep, but I woke later to Steve stroking my hair away from my face.

"What time is it?" I asked, my voice huskier than I'd ever heard it.

He smiled at me, barely visible in the dim light from my two digital clocks. "It's a little after four."

"I have to get up soon," I said and for the first time, I wished that I didn't go for runs every morning at five. I wanted to just lie there with him, stay in his arms forever. It was completely irrational, but I didn't care.

"Not yet," he said softly and leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Come here." He somehow managed to pull me even closer and I snuggled into him, nuzzling his chest. He smelled like him… but also like me. The thought made me smile. "Get some more sleep. I'll make sure you wake up at five."

I ran one hand down his chest and his muscles rippled under my fingers. Somehow, he was warm, even though I always kept my house rather cool. "I don't know if I can go back to sleep. How much time do we have until five?"

He glanced at the clock on my side of the bed. "Forty minutes."

That was quite a bit of time. "I can think of some things I'd rather do than sleep."

He chuckled and moved to hover over me, lowering his mouth to my ear. "Are you sure? You didn't get much sleep."

"I should be asking you," I returned and reached up to run my fingers through his soft hair. "You got even less sleep than I did."

He pressed a kiss to my neck. "It's the weekend. We can lounge around and nap as much as we want. I'm game for any of the _activities_ that you had in mind."

"Good." I grinned and wrapped my legs around his waist. "I have lots in mind."

He laughed and then pressed his lips to mine, effectively cutting off any conversation we might have had.


	20. A New Normal

… **..**

 **It's Friday, so it's time for your regular weekly update! My next two goals are: 130 reviews and 40 favorites.**

 **It's kind of hard to believe that this is chapter twenty… I feel like I just started it yesterday. I've been a writing machine this last little bit because the idea has been so fresh in my mind, and I guess it's paying off. It's exciting, but also kind of sad, for reasons that I couldn't explain if I wanted to.**

 **Thank you all so very much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. I really appreciate all of the support that I've gotten for this story. I didn't expect it to even get as many visitors as it's gotten, much less as many follows and reviews. It really means a lot to me.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty: A New Normal_

Steve

Still breathing hard, Allie got out of bed and headed for the dresser, holding the comforter around her.

"I've seen you naked, you know," I teased her.

She tossed a smile over her shoulder. "The blanket isn't because I don't want you to see me naked. The blanket is because I'm cold. How are you _not_ cold?"

"I'm always warm," I said proudly and climbed out of bed. "I guess I'll just wear my clothes from last night. We'll run by my house and I'll stop in on the way back so that I can pack a bag."

She pulled on some underwear and a sports bra. "You're inviting yourself to stay for the weekend, now?"

"Please?" I asked her and pulled on my own underwear that was still lying on the bathroom floor. "You know, I probably should have washed these clothes. I hate wearing dirty clothes."

"You could run to your house naked," she suggested with a teasing grin. "I _usually_ don't run into people while I'm out on my morning run."

When I came back out into her bedroom, I saw that she was already dressed in black shorts and a red tank, her hair pulled up into a ponytail, ready for her run. I pulled on my T-shirt and shook my head. "I don't think so. I don't need one of the neighbors calling the police."

"You _are_ the police."

"It would still be embarrassing. Besides…" I stepped closer to her and gave her a deep kiss, pulling her up against my body. " _You_ are the only one that gets to see me naked."

"Good to know," she said and pressed herself against me even tighter, winding her arms around my neck. Having her this close felt so _right_ , and I relished in every second of it. "I guess I can return the sentiment." She pressed her mouth to mine before I could reply and I kissed her back eagerly, ready to throw her back down onto the bed and spend the entire morning there.

Before I could, something pressed against my leg and I looked down to see Gideon wedging himself between us, seeming sore put out that he had been left out of the festivities.

Just as I was about to tell him to go away, Allie laughed and kneeled down to pet him. "I'm sorry, buddy. I'm all ready. Let's go for your run." She stood and looked at me, her eyes going down to my boxers. "You gonna put on some pants?"

"I'll meet you down there," I told her, and my tone must have told her exactly how I felt about being interrupted, because she laughed and left the room.

I pulled on my pants and shoes, swished some mouthwash around, and then jogged down the stairs to find her and Gideon waiting for me. We took off at a light jog at first, and went like that for a few minutes before she slowly began to pick up the pace.

I matched her step for step, and I was impressed that Gideon also kept her pace. He never ran out ahead, but stayed right at her side, no matter how often she changed paces. Once the run was over, we began to walk to cool down and I praised her training of Gideon.

"He already knew to do that from his CIA days," she said and reached down to pat him on the head. "He just… needed a stronger hand than what they were willing to give him. They wanted dogs that would obey without a lot of effort. But Gideon needed someone to trust before he could be fully obedient. Once he trusted me, his trainer said that he was amazed at how quickly he picked up new things."

"Was he already named Gideon, or was that something you chose?"

"I picked Gideon," she told me. "His name before was Max, and that was just too… stereotypical for me. I actually consulted a baby name book and decided on Gideon because it means 'mighty warrior'."

"Well, he is that," I said, remembering how he had attacked the rapist and wrestled a gun out of his hands. "I'm glad you two have had each other."

"Me too," she admitted and laughed when Gideon barked at a bird that landed nearby. "I went through some pretty dark times throughout my stint with the agency, and Gideon got me through it. I'm not really sure where I'd be without him."

"Kol said you weren't an assassin."

She seemed surprised that her brother had confessed that to me, but she didn't seem angry. "No, I wasn't. I can fight pretty well, but… I don't like guns. Or weapons, really. The CIA recruited me for my language skills and because of my… other talents. I specialized in espionage – getting data off of computers, lifting flash drives right out of peoples' pockets… that kind of thing. What about you? What was your special SEAL skill?"

We had reached my house and I waved for her to follow me. "I was pretty good with languages and I trained as a sniper. I'm not the best, but I'm pretty good."

Outside of my back door, she told Gideon to lie down and he did so, staring at us as we headed inside. "I'll get him a bowl of water," I told her as I headed for the kitchen. "Do you want a bottle?"

"Sure."

I tossed her one and then filled a bowl for Gideon, sliding it outside before I returned to grab some water for myself. "I'm just going to pack a quick bag for today and tomorrow. Shouldn't take long. Come on; I'll give you a quick tour."

There wasn't a lot about the house to show her, but it felt surprisingly intimate to show her where I had lived growing up. And especially so when I showed her the garage and the car that my father had loved so much.

"Do you still work on it?" she asked me as she ran her hand along the side of it.

"Try to." I gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm not as good at it as he was. But it still runs, so that's something."

"Max would love this," she said and I gave her a questioning look. "Not the ME Max," she explained. "I mean my brother. He studied mechanical engineering and he's always taking things apart and putting them back together again. He's actually come up with some pretty clever stuff over the years."

"I would have thought this would be more Kol's style," I told her, remembering how well he had handled himself in a car.

"He does love cars," she said. "But he doesn't like to work on them."

"What about you?"

She shrugged. "I can handle myself in a car, but I'm no Kol. Or Max."

"That's because you're one of a kind." I moved closer and inhaled her scent, something deliciously feminine from her body wash. "I hope you know how absolutely crazy I am about you."

She let me lift her up onto the hood of the car and wrapped her arms around my neck, a small smile on her face. "You proved that last night."

"Good. That was my objective."

"Well, it was a well-executed op."

I laughed and leaned in, only a breath away from her. "I'm nothing if not determined."

"I think you're good at a lot of things." Her voice was low and sultry as she leaned forward and kissed me, slow and sweet. I responded in kind, leaning down to trap her between me and the car. I could have kissed her every second for the rest of my life.

She was already breathless when I lifted her shirt and nipped at the soft skin of her flat stomach. So was I, but I had no intention of stopping. Her body held countless secrets and I wanted to peel them all away, layer by layer, until I knew everything. It would take years – a lifetime, even – and I was willing to take that time.

I moved my mouth up to her chest as I ripped her tank and bra over her head, and when she laughed, I looked up, affronted. "Just so you know, it actually makes men very self-conscious when a woman laughs while they're trying to give pleasure."

"I was just thinking that I'm sure you had a fantasy like this at some point during your teen years."

"Well… yeah," I admitted. "And now it's finally being fulfilled. Are you done laughing, now? I'd like to get back to the matter at hand."

"Focused and determined," she teased me. "SEAL to the core."

"You're not done making fun of me, are you?"

She laughed. "Guess you'll just have to shut me up."

Very, very slowly, I moved one of my hands up so that it rested lightly at her throat. I was cautious, as I knew that it was a bold move and some women might be into it, but that didn't mean that Allie would be. I'd actually never done anything like it before, so I didn't know how it would go.

She responded by tilting her head back, eyes closed in pleasure. When I tightened my grip only slightly, she moaned and a smile full of pleasure pulled her lips up. She was definitely one of the women that was into it, and it turned me on even more.

I explored her exposed skin and assisted her in the removal of my own shirt. Her hands ran all over my torso, but when she tried to sit up, I tightened my grip on her throat a little more and pushed her back down. Her loud moan sent an electric current racing up my spine and I eagerly pulled down her shorts, the underwear coming with it. At some point, she had kicked off her running shoes and was left in only her socks.

"You're overdressed," she informed me, and I smiled as I moved my hand away from her throat to remove my shoes, pants, and underwear. When I was through, she slid to the edge of the hood with a grin. "That's better."

"I'll say," I agreed and moved into her open arms, kissing her hard as I allowed my hands to run slowly up her legs, teasing. She used her hands to tease me as well, until neither of us could take it anymore and I took her there, on the hood of my father's prized car.

It definitely wasn't as smooth as I had thought it would be and we had to adjust positions a few times, but it ended up being so, so worth it, which I told her when it was all over and we were laying together on the hood, catching our breath.

She laughed and turned carefully onto her side to snuggle into my side. "I'm glad that your fantasy panned out. So, tell me… who did you have this fantasy about when you came up with it?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Honestly, I can't remember. I never would have been able to pull it off, anyway. My father kept this car locked up tight and he would have killed me if he ever caught me doing something like that."

We stayed there for a little bit longer, talking and sharing kisses while we recovered. Once we felt okay to move, we got off of the car and pulled our clothes on before heading back into the house. There, I packed a bag while she raided my cabinets for something to eat for breakfast.

"Good to go," I told her once I had my bag all packed. "Did you find anything in the cabinets?"

"Nothing I wanted," she said.

"Well, good thing that I already took a quick shower so that while _you_ shower, I can cook you some breakfast. I assume you have eggs? It's really all I can cook."

She laughed and opened the door to walk outside. "I do have eggs. The question is: do you know how I like my eggs?"

I put my arm around her waist as we walked away, Gideon trotting up beside us. "Hmm… over easy?"

"Wow." She laughed. "Good guess, Commander."

"Well, it's actually just how I like _my_ eggs," I admitted. "You have good taste."

She laughed and nudged me playfully, and we chased each other down the beach and back to her house, where we spent most of the day in bed.

Allie

My life had changed so suddenly after that first night we'd spent together, and I loved every second of it. That first weekend had been amazing, and we'd spent most of it in bed, learning all about each other. He was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and he claimed that it was the same for him. I believed him, because he could never seem to get enough of me when we were together.

I had never wanted him to leave, but I'd had to drive him to get his truck that Sunday evening and he'd said that he needed to take care of a few things before work the next day, so he'd spent the evening back at his house. And even though he had only shared my bed for two nights (not counting the very first night, when we had just kissed), I had found that I had a hard time falling asleep without him beside me.

"It's crazy," I'd told Gideon as I tossed and turned. "We haven't even been together for that long. Don't you think that all of this is crazy?"

He didn't respond – both because he was a dog and because he was likely already asleep. And likely enjoying the alone time that he'd finally gotten with me after I'd returned without Steve. He liked Steve, but he also liked his alone time with me. And I didn't want him thinking that I was abandoning him for Steve. He was still an important part of my life.

Before long, Steve and I had fallen into a pattern. We went to work at separate times, so as not to appear suspicious. He'd brought over his own shampoo and body wash so that he could shower and not smell like me – or, sometimes, he would just go home to shower and change before work.

At work, we addressed each other as if we were addressing any other team member. We were polite and cordial, but kept a respectful distance from each other so that we wouldn't be tempted to touch (and that happened more than we cared to admit). If we had something that we wanted to say to each other that was about our relationship, we would text it. We rarely went and had lunch together, and we never rode in the same car if someone else was going to be there. We were very, very careful.

And after work, we would go to our separate homes for just a while before Steve would walk down the beach and to my house. Then, the evening was ours. Sometimes, we would go for a late night walk on the beach and talk about anything and everything. Sometimes, we would sit and cuddle on the couch and watch movies. Sometimes, we took Gideon to the nearby dog park and let him play with other dogs. And then there were some times – my favorite times – that we rarely left the bed.

It wasn't just about sex – though that was certainly a wonderful part of our relationship – but also about just the _closeness_ that we experienced when we were so wrapped up in each other. In those moments, there were no barriers. We weren't a former CIA operative and a former Navy SEAL. We were just two people in love – a man and a woman that had chosen to love each other and be together. Those moments were more than perfect, and sometimes I had a terrible and overwhelming fear that it would end too soon.

We were both in a dangerous line of work. We got shot at no less than two or three times a week. We were the kind of people that liked to take risks, even in those kinds of situations, because that's how we had been trained. We lived a dangerous life, and we also lived in the kind of world where anything could happen. But when I got too afraid and the fear became _too_ overwhelming, I would remember the sunset and watch it until I felt like everything was going to be okay, no matter what happened.

One night, a couple of months into our relationship, I awoke from a nightmare with a scream bubbling in my throat. Gideon responded by waking up instantly and growling, unsure of what the threat _was_ , but knowing that there had to be a threat. Steve was up only a moment later, sitting up and reaching out for me. "Allie? What's going on?" He was wide awake and alert, ready for anything.

"I need a second," I told him and rushed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me, my breaths coming out in gasps.

Seconds later, he was knocking. "Allie? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, but I didn't even sound convincing to myself. I turned the water on and began to splash it on my face, hoping that would help.

It didn't.

"Allie." He knocked again, the worry evident in his voice. "Let me in." The doorknob jiggled a bit. "Allie."

"I need… a second." Turning to face the door, I braced my back against the counter and bent my knees, sliding until I was sitting on the tile floor, knees drawn to my chest.

"Allie, please," Steve begged. "What's going on? Are you sick?"

"Just give me a second!" I yelled and then choked back a sob. "Please, Steve, I just need a minute. I'll be out in a bit."

I heard the reluctance in his voice when he said, "Okay." Seconds later, I saw the light turn on in the bedroom and I knew that he would be sitting up, waiting for me. No chance that he would let this go.

So, I finally stood once I had myself under control, and I walked back out into the bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of the bed facing me, waiting. Once he saw me, he stood. "Allie…"

"Lay down," I told him softly and went to turn the light off. Gideon whined as he approached me, but I simply gave him a few rubs and told him to go back to bed. He did so immediately, but Steve owed me no such blind obedience and still stood where I'd left him.

I flipped off the light and then crawled into bed, pulling the covers up around me. Moments later, Steve did the same, pulling me into his arms. "What happened?"

"Just a nightmare." I held on to the hope that he would let me leave it at that.

He didn't. "About what?"

"You. You were chasing after a criminal and he had a gun, but you didn't see it. I tried to call out and warn you, but you couldn't hear me. It was like I wasn't even there. And then the criminal stopped, turned around, and shot you. And you bled out there right in front of me before the medics could arrive." If I hadn't done such a good job calming myself in the bathroom, I knew that I would have already lost it all over again.

He pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. "That's not going to happen."

"You don't know that," I told him, voice tight.

"No," he admitted. "I don't. But I'm always careful. And I'm always going to do everything that I can to come home to you, okay?"

I nodded, even though his words only made me feel a little bit better. "Okay."

"Get some sleep," he implored me and, as I turned to shift into a more comfortable position, he leaned down to whisper into my ear, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered back.

 _But that makes it even worse._


	21. A Bitter Memory

… **..**

 **You all did it again and beat both goals! I'll post this chapter tonight and the next one tomorrow.**

 **I debated for a while about whether or not to include this chapter, but I ultimately decided to because I think it's nice to get a piece from Allie's past that can help you understand her a little better. I know she's kind of still a mystery, and this might shed some light on a couple of things.**

 **Thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I love you all for the support.**

 **Reminder: I only use the characters and the premise of the show, not the storyline. You've been forewarned.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-One: A Bitter Memory_

Steve

I got to Allie's house a little early, but she'd said that she had left the front door unlocked for me.

"That's not safe," I'd told her.

"You think Gideon is going to let someone break in?" she'd asked me, to which I could only respond no. I'd seen what he had done to a potential rapist; I didn't even want to _think_ about what he would do to someone trying to break into his house.

When I walked in, Gideon looked up from his rawhide, saw that it was me, and went right back to chewing. He had gotten used to me very quickly and seemed to like me, as long as he still got some time alone with Allie on occasion, which I didn't mind.

We took him with us sometimes – on our runs or out fishing – to let him know that he was still important to us. Allie had been worried that he would start feeling left out, so she'd bought a bunch of dog behavior books and had read up on it.

"Hey, buddy," I told him and went to set the bag of groceries in the kitchen. "Do you know where Allie went?" On the phone, she'd just told me that she'd had an errand to run and she'd be back in a bit.

As if he understood me – sometimes, I could have sworn that he did – he barked and then went up the stairs. _Is she here_? I put the milk in the fridge and then followed him up the stairs and all the way into Allie's bedroom, where he stood by her side of the bed, tail wagging.

Allie was nowhere to be seen.

I laughed. "I don't think that you understood my question, Gideon."

He barked again and then lifted his muzzle up to the top of Allie's nightstand, where there was a decorative wooden box. He sniffed at it and then looked back to me expectantly. When I didn't respond, he made a sound low in his throat.

I pointed at it. "I'm guessing that has something to do with where she went?"

Impatient, he came to me and nudged my legs.

"Okay, okay," I told him and went to pick up the box, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

The box was beautiful, made of the finest dark wood and with a painted design of flowers on it. It was obviously handmade and foreign, and a glance at the sides told me that it was a puzzle box. I'd seen one once before, but it still took me several long moments to figure it out. Once I did, I slid the top off and dumped the contents onto the bed.

The first thing I picked up was a rolled-up piece of paper. When I unrolled it, I saw a quote – most likely from a poem – written on it in a man's handwriting.

' _That I must love a loathed enemy.'_

I set it aside and then picked up the next item, a fancy silver watch with an inscription in Hebrew that I couldn't read.

The last item was a picture. It had obviously been handled a lot, and clearly by Allie. She was in the photo, smiling with her arm around a man that I didn't know. He was dark-skinned – likely Hebrew, which would have matched the inscription on the watch. His eyes were dark and his hair was darker, styled flat down on the sides and messier on the top. They were both dressed casually, dressed for the environment.

The background of the photo was a lush green forest that I couldn't place, but it was beautiful. It belonged on a post card. There was nothing about the photo to give an indication of exactly where they were, but it was obvious that they were both very happy.

I replayed every conversation I'd had with her, trying to remember if she'd ever mentioned this man. But as far as I could remember, she hadn't. Yet, she had a box with some memories of him, which would have indicated that he was important to her – or at least, _had been_ at one time.

Gideon was sitting near the bed and I looked up at him, showing him the picture. "This is why she's gone today?" I asked him, thoroughly confused. "What, did she go to… meet this guy?"

Something beeped from somewhere downstairs and Gideon ran off. I watched him for a moment and then stared back down at the picture, trying to puzzle out who he could be. Obviously not one of her brothers, as he looked absolutely nothing like her. And their body language spoke to a more intimate relationship than that of siblings.

So… who was he?

"Steve?" I heard Allie call out from downstairs and maybe I should have put everything away and pretended that I hadn't seen it, but I needed answers. If she had gone off to meet a man that she'd obviously been close to before and she hadn't told me… I just needed answers.

I heard her footsteps on the stairs and she called out for me again, but I didn't answer. Then, she came into the room and took in the scene, her eyes going wide as she realized what I was holding.

I held up the picture. "Is this who you went to see today?"

Realization dawned in her eyes. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." There was something in her expression that I couldn't read. "He's dead."

Well… that put a whole new spin on things. "Who is he?"

She sighed and came closer, gently taking the picture from my hands and staring down at it. There were about a hundred emotions in her eyes, and she smiled with tears in her eyes. "His name was Ari. He worked for Mossad."

"The Israeli version of the CIA?"

She nodded and then put the picture back in the box, followed by the watch and the rolled-up paper. "He was an assassin."

"I thought you said that you weren't an assassin?"

"I wasn't," she confirmed, and I could tell that she was somewhere far away. "That's actually why I met him in the first place. They sent him in to save me. And he did so… in more ways than one."

"You loved him." The spike of jealousy that I felt was unreasonable – I mean, the guy was _dead_. And it's not like I hadn't ever been in love before. She knew about Catherine and she hadn't seemed jealous.

"I did," she said and put the lid on the box before placing it into the bottom drawer of her nightstand. I supposed that she had forgotten to put it back there after she'd taken it out that afternoon.

"Are you going to tell me about him?"

She turned to face me and her expression was still mostly unreadable. What I did see was… pain. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything." I forced the jealousy away; there was no room for it in our relationship. "Starting with where you were today."

She came to sit beside me on the bed, leaving about five inches between us. She stared at the wall as she said, "Ari always wanted to go to Hawaii. He never made it here but, if he had, he would have wanted to take a helicopter tour of the volcanoes. I went and did that today. I don't know… maybe I just saw it as checking something off of the bucket list."

"How did he die?" I asked gently, well aware that it was always painful to talk about someone you loved that had died. Especially if they'd died in a terrible way, as my father had.

She looked over at me, expression serious. "You sure you want to hear this?"

"Of course. It's obviously important to you, so it's important to me."

She was far away again as she said, "We were in Washington DC… it was six years ago."

Allie

"Maybe I should start at the beginning," I stopped myself and nodded. "Yeah… the beginning would be better. So that you can understand…"

I'd felt a million different things when I had seen Steve with the box, holding Ari's picture. Anger that he had snooped through my things. Fear that he would be angry that I hadn't told him about Ari. Irritation that all of this was happening on the anniversary of Ari's death.

I could see how he might have been jealous, though. He'd found a picture of a guy I'd never told him about… a guy that I had obviously been close to. He deserved to know everything, hard as it was to tell him. I didn't even like to relive it myself.

"Not long after I got out of training at The Farm, I was sent to Colombia. They wanted me to get inside one of the cartels by proving myself adept at handling covert handoffs. My background proved useful for that. I already had the contacts, the skills…"

"Your background?" he asked me, curious and confused.

I shook my head and gave him a sad smile. "That's not important right now. I'll tell you, just… not today. Okay?"

After a slight hesitation, he nodded his agreement. "Okay. Go ahead."

It was like I was transported back in time, to those months in Colombia. "Colombia actually wasn't bad. Bogota was where the cartel had its home base, so that's where I went. Used a few of my connections and suddenly, I was being offered a job. They started me out with small stuff – didn't let me handle any of the drugs at first, just stuff like flash drives and small amounts of cash. After a while, others in the cartel began to take notice of me. Of how smoothly my jobs went, and how well I performed under even the most extreme pressure. They even sabotaged one of my jobs on purpose to see what would happen."

I laughed softly to myself. "I still ended up making the drop and getting away. So, they promoted me. Allowed me to start making drug deliveries. It was supposed to be a long job from the start, and I was making those runs for a year before I finally got promoted high enough to start getting the information that the agency was after."

There were some other things that I had gone through down there… but I didn't need to get into all of that. It was still a little too painful to recount.

"I got… close to the second-in-command of the cartel and gained access to his office. One night, I downloaded all of his files and then sent them to the agency. The next morning, when I woke up… the whole place was on lockdown. I've never been a tech genius, but I thought that I had checked the computer for tracers. Turns out… they knew that someone had gotten that information. And they wanted to know who. They were moving from room to room, questioning people. I was in trouble, so I contacted my handler and he began to make plans to get me out of there."

I had to take a deep breath before I could continue.

"The agency still has red tape, though a lot of people seem to think that there's not. It was taking too long… they were getting too close to my room. My handler didn't want to wait, so he reached out to other agencies. Turns out, Mossad had an assassin in the area. The assassin's handler owed my handler a favor, so they sent him in to get me."

"Ari," he guessed.

I nodded. "Ari. He had been sent there on a job and had actually just completed it the night before. He'd just gotten to the airport when his handler called him and told him that he had one more assignment."

"So, what happened?"

I closed my eyes as I remembered. "There were gunshots, and I remember thinking that they'd gotten tired of waiting and had just started shooting people. It wasn't exactly unheard of for them. I locked my door and stacked a few things against it, but I knew that it wouldn't hold for long. I couldn't get the window to open because the glass was unbreakable and it had been locked because of the lockdown. I was skilled at martial arts, but I knew that wouldn't be enough. The only weapon that I had was a knife. I thought I was doomed."

I sighed. "And then the shooting stopped and it was… eerily quiet. My heart was beating a thousand times per minute and I practically jumped out of my skin when there was a knock on the door and somebody called out the code that my handler and I had agreed upon. I thought maybe he'd gotten approval for an extraction, so I began to move stuff away from the door. And when I opened it… there was Ari."

I could still recall his messy hair, dark skin, and dark eyes. The stubble on his face and the fierceness of his expression. "I couldn't believe that it was only one man, but he certainly looked the part. He was dressed in all black and had an assault rifle, as well as multiple other guns strapped to him. He waved impatiently at me and told me that we had to go. He guided me out through a maze of dead bodies."

"How many did he kill?" Steve asked me.

I shrugged. "Maybe twenty. Thirty."

"By himself?" he asked, surprised.

"He was an assassin. And he had the element of surprise. And grenades."

"Grenades help," Steve agreed. "Then what happened? Did you get out of Colombia?"

"That was the plan, but the cartel had gotten the word out and they had people watching the airports. We ended up going to a safe house, where we stayed for a month, just laying low. I couldn't go out in public at all; he had to make all the trips for us. And when you live in close quarters with someone for that long…"

"You fell in love with him," Steve concluded.

"It was hard not to." I sighed. "And believe me, we both tried. Especially him. He had hardened himself so much to become an assassin… It took a while for him to admit that a soft side of him still existed. But yes, we fell in love. And it was really complicated, not only because he was an assassin and I was not, but because we were from two separate agencies."

"I thought that the CIA and Mossad were friendly?" he asked me.

I laughed. "As friendly as two spy agencies can be. They help each other when they can, but they always want something in return. Ari and I knew that our relationship couldn't be out in the open. At least, not until we were both done working for the agencies. If that ever even happened."

"Did that ever happen?"

"No." I shook my head. "It never happened. Mossad and the CIA worked together on several missions and Ari and I were frequently involved in those missions, since they'd seen how well we worked together. We would always drag the missions out to spend more time together. We didn't have a lot of time, but we didn't waste what we _did_ have."

"I'm guessing he was killed in action," Steve said.

I nodded. "Protecting me." I cleared the lump in my throat before I continued. "We were supposed to be getting information from a suspected terrorist. I got into the inner circle pretty quickly and I was on my way to the information. Ari said that he smelled a trap, but I told him to stop worrying; he was always overly paranoid when it came to me and I convinced him that there was nothing to worry about. He kept insisting that we needed to call it off and abandon the mission, but I just chalked it up to him not wanting me to be in danger. I told him that when it was all over, we'd go and get some pastries from that bakery he loved."

God, how I still wished that I had listened to him. "Somehow, they'd found out that I wasn't who I said I was. I never found out how. There was a fight and I was losing until Ari came in, guns blazing. We fought together for a while and had cornered the boss when he surprised us with a grenade. I'd never been in combat before and I… I didn't know what to do. I froze."

Steve was so quiet, and I knew that he had an idea as to where the story was going.

"Ari had been a special ops soldier before he'd been recruited into Mossad. He didn't even hesitate, he just… jumped on top of the grenade and covered the blast. They say that he died instantly and couldn't have felt any pain, like that somehow makes it better. The only thing that made me feel better was that I killed the terrorist cell leader after that. Not myself, but… I had him killed. A sniper friend of Ari's was all too happy to do it for me while the CIA was transporting him after his interrogation. I watched, and it was the first time that death didn't chill me."

"I can understand that," Steve told me quietly.

"I never told you about him," I said softly. "Not because I didn't want you to know, though. Just… it's a hard thing for me to talk about. I hate reliving it. It was all my fault."

I didn't realize that I'd been crying until Steve reached over and gently wiped away my tears. "It wasn't your fault. In situations like that, our brains don't operate at full capacity. Ari was trained for that kind of thing and you weren't. That doesn't make it your fault."

The sobs came then and Steve scooped me up into his arms and just held me, letting me cry against his chest. I'd cried many times in the months following Ari's death, but it had always been alone. It was nice to finally have someone there with me that knew what I was crying about and why. It was comforting, somehow.

When I was finally through, I blew my nose with the Kleenex that he handed me and said, "Those things in the box… they're all that I had from him. We didn't keep much evidence of our relationship, just in case. The picture was from a hike in Bali, and the watch was the one that he always wore."

"What about the quote?" he asked me. " _That I must love a loathed enemy_."

I smiled. "It's Shakespeare. _Romeo and Juliet_. Ari said that every relationship should have a quote, and _Romeo and Juliet_ was one of the only things that we had to read at the safe house. It seemed fitting, being that we were from two competing spy agencies."

"Is there more to the quote?" he asked.

I nodded. " _My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy._ "

"Sounds sad."

"Well, it _was_ a tragedy. I guess that part turned out to be fitting, as well."

He reached over and took my hand.

"Are you angry?" I asked him. "That I never told you about him?"

"I was," he admitted. "But now… no. I understand. It was a terrible experience, and I can understand how you wouldn't like to talk about it. I'm just glad that you trusted me enough to share it with me. Now, over dinner, I'm going to tell you about Freddie Hart. That's _my_ heartbreaking story."

"Can't wait to hear it," I told him.

As we headed down the stairs to go and prepare dinner, he said, "I guess we need a quote now. Is there a Shakespeare quote that fits us?"

I smiled. "I'd have to do some digging."

"Do that," he said. "But for now, start peeling the potatoes while I get the steaks on the grill."

I gave him a mock salute. "Anything you say, Commander."

"I'm holding you to that," he warned me.

"I hoped that you would."


	22. Blast from the Past

… **..**

 **Another chapter, as promised. My next two goals are 60 follows and 150 reviews.**

 **I actually** _ **really**_ **enjoyed writing this chapter and I felt like it just flew by. Maybe the momentum will carry over to the next chapter. Fingers crossed!**

 **As always, I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. And also to those of you that have sent me private messages. I really enjoy and appreciate each and every single show of support for this story and I'm glad you're enjoying it.**

 **Disclaimer: I only use the characters and the premise of the show, not the storyline.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Two: Blast from the Past_

Steve

Danny, Chin, Kono, and I were already at the crime scene. Max was telling us about the victim – male in his early thirties, single GSW to the head, dead before he ever hit the water – but I kept stealing glances at the parking lot, waiting for Allie. She'd just stepped into the shower when I'd gotten the call, and she said that she would just meet me there.

Our relationship had been going well, and then I'd found that box and she'd told me about Ari. Our relationship was still good, but I sensed a sadness in her that she didn't seem to want to talk about. It made me uneasy and afraid that she would call it off for fear that something similar would happen to me.

I'd concluded that it was just one of those things that I was going to have to weather and things would get back to normal soon. But for the time being, I planned to keep an extra close eye on her, just in case she needed some extra reassurance.

Finally, I saw her Camaro pull up and I turned my attention back to Max. When she approached, Kono made a joke that they'd planned to match, as they were both wearing black boots, dark jeans, and green shirts. Kono had even worn her hair up in a ponytail much like Allie's.

"What do we got?" Allie asked as she grew close but suddenly, her face fell. She'd seen the victim, and there was both recognition and horror in her eyes.

Danny had seen it just as well as I had. "You know this guy?"

But Allie didn't answer. Slowly, she knelt down beside the body and Max moved to give her some room, handing her a pair of latex gloves as he went. She slipped them on and then rolled up the sleeve on the victim's left arm. It revealed a tattoo of several small birds.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up. "We have a problem."

"What?" Chin asked. "Who is this guy?"

"His name is Chris Morrison. He's CIA."

"Yeah," Danny said, "that could be a problem. What's he doing in Hawaii?"

"I don't know," she said and stepped away so that Max could continue his examination. "But he was shot execution style. Max, any defensive wounds?"

"Not that I can see," Max replied.

"Then he was drugged," she concluded.

"How do you know that?" Kono asked.

She rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, like she frequently did when she was stressed out. "We were friends, but we worked in different departments. He was a trained assassin. There's no way that he would let someone with a gun get that close to him without a fight. And he was trained to see that kind of thing coming from a mile away. The only way that this person could have gotten close enough with a gun to kill him is if he was incapacitated somehow."

"I'll run a full tox screen immediately," Max assured her and then zipped Chris up into a body bag.

As he was being loaded onto the stretcher, a black SUV pulled up and a few men in suits and a couple in casual clothes approached.

"This can't be good," Danny muttered.

"It's not," Allie agreed and moved so that she was mostly covered by Chin and Kono. She obviously knew the men, but I didn't have the time to ask her how or who they were.

"Gentlemen." One of the men in a suit stepped forward, declaring himself the leader. He was obviously seasoned, which I could tell both by the observing look in his eyes and his dark gray hair. He flashed a badge that held the CIA seal and the other men did the same. "My name is Agent Sanderson. I'll be taking over this investigation."

Danny, ever the smartass, said, "Your first name is Agent? What is that, Greek?"

Agent Sanderson wasn't impressed and the look that he gave Danny held no hint of tolerance for that kind of stupidity. "I've heard of Five-O and I respect the work that you all do on this island. But I'm responsible for more than just one state. I'm responsible for the safety of _many_ states, and this man was working for us. That makes this our jurisdiction."

"You've always been one for steamrolling, haven't you, Pat?" Allie finally stepped out from her makeshift hiding place and I saw Agent Sanderson's eyes widen when he recognized her.

The men in suits seemed to have mixed reactions about seeing her, but the two men in casual clothes both smiled and one of them even came forward, despite the disapproving look that he got from Agent Sanderson. "Allie. You're more gorgeous than ever. What brought you to Hawaii?"

She laughed, which sent a flare of jealousy through me. "Five-O. I wanted to try something elite, for a change." She hugged him. "How are you, Seth?"

"As annoying as ever." The other casually dressed man came forward and hugged her as well, and I could practically feel myself starting to boil. "Good to see you, Al."

"As touching as this reunion is," Agent Sanderson said, the irritation clear in his voice and expression. "We have work to do."

"Yes, we do," Seth said and put his arm around Allie's shoulders. It was all I could do not to walk over there and push him away. "And isn't it protocol to have a contact with local law enforcement? I think Allie fits the bill."

The other man nodded his agreement. "She's familiar with our protocols, she knew the victim…"

"And she's awesome," Seth finished.

"She's not CIA anymore," Sanderson pointed out.

"Put a call in to Campbell. He'll agree."

Whoever this _Campbell_ person was, Sanderson seemed to know that he would agree to Allie being involved in the investigation, so he started muttering about protocols and such until Seth told him that he could call Campbell or just shut up about it.

"You can't talk to me that way, Agent Waters." The tension between them was clear, but it seemed to annoy Sanderson more than Seth.

"Maybe," Allie said, and I recognized that stubborn, determined look in her eyes. "But _I_ can. So, call Campbell or I'm in. As I recall, the _field agents_ get a bigger vote than the suits."

Sanderson whipped out his phone and walked away, the other suits gathering around him as he made his call.

"He's going to have to code in for nothing," Seth told Allie. "Campbell isn't going to keep you off of this."

"What's his problem, anyway?" Danny asked them, seeming to have no problem addressing a complete stranger – and a spook, at that.

"He has a stick up his ass," Seth, Allie, and the other CIA man said at the same time, and they looked at each other and laughed.

"Let me make the introductions," Allie said and did just that, introducing the other man as Lance Shathum.

I kept my jealousy carefully caged and shook their hands respectfully.

"Teams guy?" Seth asked me when he shook my hand.

I was surprised. "Yeah."

"We've seen enough of them to know," Lance laughed. "Nice to meet you, Commander."

I shook his hand. "Likewise."

Agent Sanderson suddenly came back as the other suited agents piled into the SUV. By the look on his face, I could tell that he hadn't gotten his way. "Lance, you're needed back at Langley. We'll take you to the airport immediately."

Lance seemed vaguely surprised, but nodded his assent. "Yes, sir."

"And me?" Seth asked, the smug look on his face indicating that he knew what Campbell had said.

Sanderson gritted his teeth. "You're to work with _Officer_ Rhodes on this for a while."

"Shotgun!" Seth called and pumped a fist in the air.

Allie rolled her eyes. "Like I'd let you drive my car. Remember the last time we were in a car together with you behind the wheel?"

"But did you _die_?" Seth asked her very seriously.

"The doctor said-"

He cut her off. "I _know_ what the doctor said. But it was just a little bit of internal bleeding. And the point is: we got the guy."

"No, we got the guy's _assistant_."

Before they could argue any further, Agent Sanderson snapped at them that he expected daily reports. They both nodded, but gave no verbal affirmation, which seemed to irritate him even more. With a look of pure annoyance, he turned and headed for the SUV.

"Why do you hate that guy?" Danny asked Allie. "I mean, he seems like a total jerk, but-"

"He tried to get Allie fired," Seth supplied. "Made up a bunch of shit about her hooking up with an agent from Mossad."

 _Ari._ I looked to Allie with my question and she gave a very tiny nod. So, he had actually been _right_ about the "shit" he'd "made up". Maybe that's why he didn't seem too fond of Allie. He'd presented his evidence and it hadn't been enough. Or maybe Allie and Ari had worked together to destroy his evidence.

Whatever the case may be, they clearly didn't like each other.

"What's our first step?" Seth asked Allie.

She shrugged. "I need to see what he was working on."

"Good call. Come on; I'll fill you in." So, they walked together up towards Allie's Camaro, talking as they went.

I'd been jealous a few times with Catherine – especially when she'd told me that her and Billy Harrington had kind of had a thing in Amsterdam – but it felt different with Allie. Maybe it was because Catherine and I had never outright defined a relationship. Maybe it was because Allie was more attractive than Catherine had been.

Whatever the case, I had decided that I was done hiding our relationship.

After this case, we were going to come out to everyone.

Allie

"Thanks for having me over for dinner," Seth told me that evening as we hung out on the back porch. He stood by the grill, watching the steaks closely, and I sat in one of the chairs watching Gideon complete his obstacle course.

"Thanks for agreeing to cook steaks," I returned with a smile. "I've only cooked steak once, and it was only adequate."

"You didn't try again?" he teased me.

"Steaks are way too expensive to experiment with. I'll stick to ground beef and chicken."

"I would have figured that the Hawaiians would have converted you to raw fish by now."

I wrinkled my nose. "I like sushi from the good places, but I don't just order raw fish anywhere. That stuff is easily contaminated, you know."

"Wimp."

"How has everything been at the agency?" I asked him. "It's been… what… like six _years_ since I quit?"

"Seven, and you knew that. You were just testing me." He pressed down on one of the steaks and smiled at me. "And you quit long before then. Got out of the active duty, transferred to a desk job, and… changed."

I remembered. After Ari had died, I had tried to stick it out in the field a little bit longer, but… it had been too hard. I hadn't been in the right frame of mind for that kind of work. So, I had asked to work desk duty. They'd switched me from job to job for a while – which I had liked – until I finally decided that I just couldn't work for the agency anymore.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry that you never got an answer… you did a lot to help me when Sanderson was on his little vendetta."

He shrugged. "You love who you love, you know? It was none of his business what you and Ari were doing together outside of work. Especially considering that he was almost kicked out of the agency at one point for dating a Russian spy."

I nearly choked on my wine. "No…"

His grin held nothing but honesty. "Yes. I found this out not long after you left, actually, because I found out that he was still looking into you and Ari."

"Even after Ari _died_?" The man really had no shame.

He nodded. "Even after. So, I did some digging. Talked to some contacts, hacked into some files… Turns out, he was investigated in '86 for a suspected relationship with a Russian spy. Not only that, but they suspected him of trading secrets."

"How did he not get fired for that?"

He shrugged. "Who knows. Anyway, I confronted him about it and said that if he didn't let the dead rest in peace, I was going to make it my personal mission to _prove_ that he'd done what the reports suspected he was doing. The CIA head back then was Anderson, not Campbell. Anderson may have pardoned it, but Campbell wouldn't."

"Well, I really do appreciate it. Especially because you did your part when you helped me erase those tapes that he had."

Sanderson had apparently suspected Ari and me of a relationship for a while, so he had planted a camera during one of our ops. Our last op, actually… the one where Ari had died. My handler, Jackson, had been the one to warn me about the tapes and that Sanderson had them locked away in his office. Desperate, I had asked Seth – a very good friend of mine – to help me gain access to them and erase them. He had agreed, of course, and we'd pulled off a very successful op that had left Sanderson with no evidence.

Sanderson had hated me ever since.

And I, him.

"The guy is a lunatic. Nobody likes him, so he just keeps playing the villain. You know, I heard he was literally the _worst_ field agent that the agency has ever seen."

I laughed. "I don't doubt it. Those steaks done yet?"

"Mine is." He took one off of the grill and pressed on the other one. "But you want yours well done, so give it another few minutes."

I sighed and sipped at my wine. "How's your love life?"

He laughed. "We're getting personal now?"

"Come on. We were super close."

"Yeah… Okay, fine. But…" He pointed at me with the grill tongs. "You have to be honest, too."

I had a feeling that I knew where it was going, but I agreed. "Sure. So… what's her name?"

He grinned. "Chelsea. She works at the agency, too, but down in the coffeeshop. She's… amazing. Funny, nice, charming… you'd like her. We've been together for a few years now."

"That's great." I'd always wanted him to find happiness. He deserved it. "I'm glad that she makes you happy."

"Ari made you happy," he told me. "I could tell. Even though you were careful not to say too much about him… I could just tell. You were different. I wanted some of that, but I was never brave enough to go for it. Our line of work…"

"It's hard," I agreed. "I think that's why I found happiness with someone like Ari. He was in the same line of work. He knew the risks. So did I."

"You're still happy," he informed me. "It can't be with Ari. So, who have you found here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific?"

"You don't miss a thing."

"Part of the job."

I sighed. "Commander McGarrett."

His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You have a thing for _him_ , or… you two have a thing for _each other_?" My smile must have told him everything that he wanted to know, because he laughed. "Not a bad choice. Former Navy SEAL, so he's obviously a badass. Just your type."

" _Badass_ is my type?"

"Duh." He finally took my steak off of the grill and we headed inside, where baked potatoes were waiting for us in the oven. I got us two plates, two glasses of water, and some silverware. Then, we loaded up our plates and moved to the table.

We were just getting into our meal when my alarm system beeped and Gideon let out a bark.

Seth looked at me with raised eyebrows. "You expecting company?"

I shook my head. "No. Give me a sec."

"Need backup?"

I rolled my eyes. "Gideon is my backup."

When I went to the door, I was only mildly surprised to see Steve on the other side, still wearing his gun and his badge, meaning that he'd come over straight from work.

"Hey," I said with a smile. "What's up?"

"What's up?" He was either angered or annoyed by my question.

I held my hands up. "Whatever is bothering you, we can talk about it later. Seth and I are having dinner."

That only seemed to make things worse for him. "Where?"

"Here." I stepped aside and beckoned for him to come in. "We just started. Do you want a baked potato?"

However he may have been feeling, he was level-headed enough to know that we didn't need to air our problems in front of anyone else. With a nod, he stepped inside and I closed the door behind him.

"Seth," I said when Steve and I entered the dining area. "You remember Steve McGarrett."

"Of course." Seth smiled and stood, reaching to shake his hand. "Good to see you again, Commander."

Steve shook his hand and nodded.

I got him a baked potato and he joined us at the table, choosing the seat beside me. It was awkwardly quiet for a few moments, until Steve asked us what we had learned that day.

So, Seth and I filled him in on what Agent Morrison had been working on – apparently, he'd been trying to bust a dangerous human trafficking ring. They'd gotten him on the inside and he'd been passing along intel well… until he had missed a couple of check-ins. Just when the CIA had finally decided to start looking for him, he'd turned up dead.

We ate and I invited Seth to stay afterwards for a while, but he said that he was tired and he wanted to get back to his hotel room. I knew that he would have loved to stay, but he could sense all of the tension coming from Steve.

Once he'd left, I turned to Steve and asked him, "What's going on?"

He seemed affronted, for some reason. " _Me_?! I'm not the one having steak dinner with another person."

"Seth is an old friend. Are you seriously saying that you wouldn't have dinner with an old friend that came to town?"

"Not a _female_ friend!"

"There it is." It was exactly what I'd thought it was. "You don't have anything to be jealous of, Steve. Seth and I were never a thing, we never had any _kind_ of a thing, and he actually has a very serious girlfriend back home in Virginia."

"Yeah, well…" He had no good argument, and he knew it. After a few long moments, he finally said, "I just would have appreciated a heads up that you were having dinner with him."

That was fair. I nodded. "Noted. Anything else?"

"Yeah." He stepped closer and grabbed my hands. "I missed you today." Seth and I had gone to the CIA offices in Hawaii to dig up information on Agent Morrison, and then we'd run all around the island, trying to find any possible lead. The rest of Five-O had gone back to their headquarters to consult on other cases, just waiting for us to need them.

I smiled at him and leaned in to him, gazing up through my lashes. "I missed you, too. Want me to show you how much?"

His eyes lit up with desire and he pulled me even closer, until there was hardly a part of us not touching. "I'd love that."

"Good." After a deep, passionate kiss, I grabbed his hand and began to lead him up the stairs. "You know, you're actually really adorable when you're jealous. It's so cute."

He shook his head and scooped me up into his arms, throwing me over his shoulder as I squealed. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

When we finally reached my bedroom, he threw me down onto the bed and began to unbutton his shirt.

And within minutes, he showed me the whole world.


	23. And Ye Shall Know the Truth

… **..**

 **Hey, everybody! Welcome back to another chapter! Sorry that it's late, but I had to take an unexpected trip and it put me behind.**

 **I have really enjoyed writing about Allie being involved with the CIA again, and I'm glad that you guys have enjoyed it as well. This chapter flew by because it was so full of excitement, so I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story (and me!)! I appreciate each and every show of support that I receive for this story. It really keeps me going. Keep it up!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Three: And Ye Shall Know the Truth_

Steve

"No," I said immediately, shaking my head for extra emphasis. "Absolutely not."

"I don't like it, either," Agent Sanderson said, though the displeasure on his face said it better than his words. "But Allie is the best chance that we have of catching this guy."

"This _assassin_ ," I reminded him. "The one that's already taken out one of _your_ assassins." Allie was good, but she'd never been an assassin. She was trained to spy and to fight, but not to kill. And when it came to fighting an assassin, they typically didn't stop until they were dead. Would she be able to do that?

"I don't need your _permission_ , Commander McGarrett," Agent Sanderson told me, obviously annoyed that I'd told him no. He obviously didn't hear that a lot. "This assassin knows Allie from her time with the Esguerra cartel."

"Where she betrayed them." It was like this guy knew nothing.

He seemed surprised that I knew that, but he recovered quickly. "You shouldn't know the details of that mission, but, nevertheless, believe me when I say that our assassin is not aware that Allie was the one that took the information. No one outside the CIA had that information."

"Actually, a couple of people might have," Allie stepped in for the first time in several minutes. She stood with the rest of the Five-O team, watching my exchange with Sanderson. "It was a Mossad agent that came to rescue me while the CIA sat around in a conference room and argued about what to do."

Agent Sanderson flicked her an annoyed glance. "If there had been clear and eminent danger-"

She cut him off, her annoyance twice the size of his. "They had the place on lockdown and were going room to room, torturing people to try to get a confession out of them."

I was the only member of Five-O that was shocked by this news. Agent Sanderson's annoyance grew roughly three sizes. "This has no bearing on the current mission."

"Allie doesn't need to be a part of this," I told him, using my best 'Commander' voice.

And then Allie stepped forward and said, "Not without Five-O as backup."

Sanderson was confused. "You'll have CIA backup. I'll be going in with you since he's never seen me in the field before and there will be agents a short distance away."

"The CIA has never proved to be a very reliable backup," she said, not the least bit worried about what he would think about her words. "Five-O has. Either they help to serve as backup, or I'm not going in."

"You don't have to go in, anyway," I told her. "You don't work for the CIA. You work for Five-O. And I'm the head of Five-O, not him." I gestured to Sanderson. "This is extremely dangerous, and I don't like it."

"I'll do it," Allie assured me and then looked to Sanderson. "But only with Five-O as backup. Consider it an extra precaution; I know how much the CIA loves precautions."

It took Sanderson a few moments, but he finally sighed and nodded. "Fine. I need you on this because that's what Riley requested. If you say Five-O has to be part of the backup team, then fine." He looked to me and I could see the anger of his loss burning there. "I'll have a member of my team contact you with details."

I didn't ask if he needed me to write my number down. He was CIA; he could get my number whenever he wanted. "Great."

With one last nod to all of us, he turned and stalked out of the room.

"That was overly dramatic," Danny commented.

"Typical Sanderson," Allie sighed. "Look, the op is really pretty simple. The assassin's name is Braxton Riley."

"Who does he work for?" Kono asked her.

"No one; he's freelance. And since he doesn't have an agency behind him to back him up, he doesn't want to get caught in the crosshairs of some battle that he didn't know he was fighting. He agreed to give someone that he trusted the name of the man who hired him."

"You know him?" Chin asked.

She nodded. "I met him while I was working undercover at a Colombian drug cartel. The same cartel that is supposedly responsible for this. I reached out a couple of days ago and told Riley that the CIA had been asking me some questions and that Morrison was _actually_ a member of the same cartel that was doing some spying on _another_ cartel, trying to find a mole. Riley obviously didn't want any part of that, so he said he'd give me the name and I could do with it what I wanted."

"When is this meet taking place?"

I was the one that answered. "Tonight. So, grab whatever weapons you want out of the gun locker and practice with them, if you need to. I'll let you all know when I have more details about where we're supposed to be."

They all wandered off to do their own thing and I drifted closer to Allie, wanting so badly to pull her into a hug. "You still don't have to do this."

Her expression was serious. "Morrison was my friend, Steve. He would have done it for me."

And as much as I wanted to tell her that she still shouldn't do it, I knew that I would have done the exact same thing if it was for one of my SEAL buddies. Or even a member of Five-O. Once you've served with someone – put your life on the line together – you developed a special connection. A family. And you didn't turn your back on your family.

"Okay," I sighed. "Promise me that you'll be careful. And go in with more than just your sidearm."

Her nose wrinkled in distaste. "You know I don't like guns."

"I don't care. This guy that you're meeting is an assassin and even though you don't _think_ he knows that you're the one that betrayed the cartel, he could still know. Always better to be safe than sorry."

"Fine." She smiled. "I'll put another gun on an ankle holster. Happy?"

"I won't be happy until you're done with this thing. I don't like this Sanderson guy or that he's going in with you."

She shrugged. "I don't like it either, trust me, but he did have a point about not being recognized from his field experience. He has next to zero. From what I've heard, he was the worst field agent _ever_."

I laughed. "I could believe it."

"I'll be careful," she promised sincerely, and I told myself that would have to be enough.

A few hours later, we were gearing up in the storage unit that the CIA had set up for the occasion. There were a few computers on a small table and a few agents sat around, watching and waiting. Listening devices had been planted in the nearby warehouse where the meeting was to take place, and all we had to do was wait and listen.

A glance at my watch told me that it was time for the meet.

"No one's talking," I stated the obvious. "They were supposed to meet now."

"Patience, Commander," one of the agents said, clearly annoyed with me. "They could be running late due to traffic."

I gave my team a look, telling them to be ready for anything.

They responded with nods.

Allie

There's a feeling that humans get… some people call them 'bad vibes'. It's a gut feeling, something in your body telling you that something is very, very wrong and you should get out of there as quickly as you can.

The bad vibes began as soon as I felt myself waking up.

 _Did Steve and I have a fight_? I couldn't even remember spending the night with Steve, and our nights were usually pretty memorable. The last argument that we'd had was about the CIA op…

My eyes flew open and I looked around, my vision going blurry for a minute.

I was in what was clearly a hotel room, and I was cuffed to the chair from the desk. My location wasn't ideal – I was stuck between two twin beds and the chair didn't roll. But what in the world had happened…? Had Riley gotten the drop on me? What about Sanderson?

Like a very slow instant replay, I remembered what had happened.

" _This isn't the right way," I told Sanderson as he turned down the wrong road. "You should have gone left."_

 _He shot me an annoyed glance, his signature look when it came to me. "I know where I'm going."_

" _I_ live _here," I reminded him, equally annoyed. He had that effect on people. "This isn't the way to Sand Island, and that's where we're supposed to meet Riley. At one of the warehouses on Sand Island. Right? Or did the meeting place change last second?" It wasn't an uncommon thing, really. People like Riley could be paranoid._

 _Sanderson nodded. "The new location is just up ahead. We'll make it in time."_

" _Does everyone else know?"_

 _Again, he gave me that annoyed look. "I know that I don't have as much_ field experience _as you, Officer Rhodes, but I'm not an idiot. The tech team should be setting up as we speak and I had Gibson get in touch with Five-O. You're covered."_

 _I nodded and took out my phone. "Okay. I'll just send Steve a text and let him know, just in case."_

 _The next thing that I had felt was my body violently shaking._

 _And then nothing_.

"That son of a bitch tased me," I muttered to myself and tried to force the grogginess out of my system so that I could get away. Things weren't making sense, but I couldn't focus on that right then. I needed to get out of the room and try to call Steve.

A beep signaled the insertion of a room key into the lock and moments later, the door opened and in stepped Sanderson. He had changed out of his suit and was wearing something more suited to a tourist. In one hand, he held a bottle of bleach.

I swallowed hard. Bleach was used for cleaning up all trace evidence.

He was going to kill me and wipe down the room.

"Seth didn't get called back for a mission, did he?" I asked him, remembering his excuse from the day before.

"Oh, no, he did." Sanderson informed me and set the bleach on the dresser, right beside the TV. "I called in a favor and had him sent away on a mission."

"Because you needed me," I realized and laughed humorlessly. "Really, you son of a bitch? You're so pissed off that I got away with my love affair with Ari that you want to _kill me_ over it?"

He didn't seem affected by my words, for once. "It did piss me off that you managed to erase those tapes," he admitted and sat down on one of the beds, staring at me. "But that's not why you're here, and I'm not going to kill you."

"You're not going to kill me, but you tased me and now I'm handcuffed to a chair."

"I'm actually due to retire soon," he told me.

"You were due to retire ten years ago; you're ancient, and you were never that good at your job, anyway."

His eyes grew hard as he glared at me. "How rude. Don't make me gag you."

As that would likely make it even _harder_ to escape, I bit my tongue and cautiously began to move my hands, trying to get to the bobby pin that I always kept clipped onto my back pocket. Old habits died hard, thankfully.

"Very good," he said with victory in his eyes. "On a CIA pension, I won't make much."

 _You don't deserve to make much_ , I thought, but kept it to myself. I could _feel_ the pin, but couldn't get a good angle on it. It required most of my concentration.

He sighed and continued with his pity party. "It's been grieving me, lately. I've served this country faithfully and all I have to show for it is a crappy apartment in DC and a divorce. The government doesn't pay any of us nearly enough for the kind of work that we do."

 _Got it!_ My fingers closed around the end of the pin and I carefully began to pull it out, centimeter by centimeter.

As I did, I used my other hand to press a button on my watch. It had been a special gift from Kol for our birthday last year, and it had all kinds of useful functions – one of which was going to be immensely helpful.

"And then, while I was puzzling out whether to retire or work for another five years so that I can actually _afford_ to live when I'm not working, I realized that I could make all of the money that I need to within a week. Why do people sell government secrets, Allie?"

I stared at him, not responding, as I finally got the pin into place. The tricky part was about to start.

"That's not rhetorical," he told me with a smug smile. "Go ahead and answer."

"I don't know why people sell government secrets." My voice was as dry as bone. "Maybe to make themselves feel important because they turned out to be the worst field agent the CIA has ever seen?"

That one earned me a slap across the face, but it was worth it because I could rustle around without arousing suspicion. I managed to get the pin into the lock and began to move it around a bit, feeling it out.

"You've always thought you're so clever," he said, the anger evident both in his voice and in the redness of his face. "No, Allie." He began to pace. "People sell government secrets because it pays well. _Millions_ , if you sell to the right person. The right organization."

The realization hit me harder than his slap had. " _That's_ what happened to Morrison," I realized. "You _sold_ his safety. Allowed his enemies to find him."

"He was an assassin," Sanderson told me. "There were plenty of people that wanted him dead. It took me months, but I finally managed to find the highest bidder. His death earned me _five million dollars_."

I felt sick to my stomach. "That was his _life_! He never did anything to you!"

"Not directly, no, but he represented everything that I hated."

"An assassin?"

"A field agent!" he practically yelled. "That's all that I ever wanted to be, and I tried _so hard_ for _years_. But every time that I tried to prove myself, something out of my control would happen and I failed. Finally, they just stuck me behind a desk for good."

"And somehow that was _Morrison's_ fault?" I yelled back at him and finally got one side of the cuffs off. I needed to check my anger, or I would act too soon. "Because he was good at something that you weren't? Grow up!"

That earned me another slap, but also gave me the perfect cover to get the other side off. I held the cuffs in my hand, waiting. Sanderson had a gun in his back pocket and both of my guns had been stripped off of me. I needed to proceed with caution.

"I don't expect you to understand. You've always gotten everything that you wanted. You've jumped from job to job after the CIA and excelled at them all."

I was surprised. "You've been keeping up with me?"

"Only after I ran into you here." He smiled. "It really irked me that you wouldn't let the CIA handle the entire investigation, but then I thought… _I can use this to my advantage_. I started doing some reaching out, and as it so happens, the Colombian cartel would _love_ to get their hands on the rat that burned their business to the ground. They still haven't been able to completely rebuild, you know. Not after all of the raids and arrests."

"Good. They were selling drugs to kids."

"Now, all that I have to do is take you away from here. I used a solid alias of mine to rent a remote piece of land and that's where I'll hold you until I find the highest bidder. Then, I'll sell you."

"How are you planning to explain my disappearance?" He'd done a very poor job of thinking this thing through.

"I've already gotten rid of the burner phone we were using to keep contact with Riley," he told me. "I'll say that he got the drop on us after changing locations, and took you. All I have to do is give myself a few believable injuries."

Okay… maybe not a _super poor_ plan, but there were holes. Not that I was going to tell him that. But I _did_ need him to come closer.

I had a lightbulb moment then and said, "That won't take much. No one thinks that you're that capable, anyway."

Anger flared in his eyes and he stepped forward, drawing his arm back with the intention of slapping me. But I didn't give him that chance. I charged him and because he'd been expecting me to still be cuffed, he was surprised.

Not only did I have youth on him, but I had years of training and experience that he'd never had the opportunity to gain. A few quick jabs to the stomach made him double over, and then I reached around him and grabbed the gun out of his back pocket.

He tried to struggle with me, but it was no use. I kicked out and sent him flying backwards, where he crashed into the wall. I came forward and pointed the gun at him, barely keeping enough control over myself to not shoot him.

"I can't wait for your trial," I told him honestly. "Because after that, you'll have _nothing_."

"You have no _proof_ ," he spat at me angrily. "It would be _my_ word against _yours_ , and _you're_ not in the CIA anymore."

I kept the gun in my left hand and showed him the watch on my right hand. "This was a gift from one of my brothers. It has a lot of useful functions, but my favorite is the recorder."

Sanderson's face paled. "You're bluffing." But he didn't look so sure.

"I'm not. Hang out right there, would you?" Keeping the gun aimed at his chest, I moved to the desk and grabbed the phone, dialing Steve's number.

"Allie!" he said as soon as he heard that it was me. "What happened?! Where are you?! We raided the warehouse and found Riley's body, but you were nowhere to be found. What the hell happened?!"

So, Riley had just been a pawn. I glanced down at the hotel notepad on the desk and gave Steve the address.

"We'll be there in ten," he promised me. "Are you okay?" He relayed the address to someone.

"I'm okay. It was Sanderson. He sold out Morrison and got him killed."

Steve cursed. "I never liked that guy. Hang tight, okay?"

"Okay."

The rest of it was a blur. Sanderson was taken away by CIA agents, and I handed over my watch momentarily so that the evidence could be collected. Paramedics showed up to check on me, but I had no real injuries. The injuries would have happened later, when Sanderson would have cut me to make me bleed so that he could create a crime scene.

The sick bastard.

And then Steve was there, and nothing else even mattered.

I stood and ran to him, throwing my arms around him as I fought against the tears. He made me feel better, even after everything that had happened.

He kissed me deeply and then pulled me back in, telling me that it was all going to be okay. That I'd done so good and he was so proud of me.

And off to the side, the rest of Five-O stared in shock as he kissed me again.

"They know now," I told Steve, breathless, when he finally pulled away.

He smiled. "Good." And then he kissed me again.


	24. Boundless as the Sea

… **..**

 **I missed another Friday update… because I'm terrible. I suddenly got SO busy at work and I didn't even realize that Friday had passed, honestly. Crazy time. Also, my husband and I are expecting our second child (a boy, yay!) and nesting has kicked in like nobody's business and I've been reorganizing the whole house in my rare spare time. So…**

 **I wanted to apologize in advance to those of you that don't like fluff, because this chapter has a whole lot of it. But I felt that it was important to show the progression of their relationship, so you're just going to have to tough it out. Don't hate me!**

 **Reminder: I only use the characters and the premise of the show, not the storyline. So, just because something happened on the show, doesn't mean that it happened in my Hawaii Five-O universe.**

 **Lastly, thank you to those of you that have shown support for this story by reading, reviewing, favoriting, or following. I appreciate you all so much.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Four: Boundless as the Sea_

Allie

"There she is!" Kono said as I approached the table outside of Kamekona's shrimp truck. The rest of the gang cheered and toasted me with their coconut waters, greeting me.

Steve's smile was different from all the rest, and I could feel it right down to my core. I went to sit beside him, not caring that I was all over his personal space. I had discovered that in a relationship, there really was no such thing as personal space.

And, now that everyone from Five-O knew that we were a couple, there was no reason for us to respect that personal space anymore.

Steve kissed me quickly and then stood, massaging my shoulders for a moment as he asked me what I wanted him to buy me.

"You serious?" Danny asked him. "You never seem to have your wallet when we go out to eat, but ever since we've known you two are together, I see you with it all the time. Are the rest of us just not worth paying for?"

"I'm being a gentleman, Danny," Steve rebutted. "I realize that's a foreign concept for you."

They bickered for another few minutes before Steve went off to buy my garlic shrimp plate. Once he was gone, Danny leaned forward slightly from his spot directly across from me. "Tell me the truth, Allie. _Does_ Steve know how to be a gentleman? Because I've never seen evidence of that. I'm a detective, you understand. I have to go off of the evidence."

Everyone laughed and I rolled my eyes at him. "Danny, _no one_ brings out the same side of Steve that you do."

"Good to know," he muttered.

Steve returned with my plate and a coconut water, and I dug in as everyone else continued to eat. As we ate, we talked about the case that we had just worked – a series of jewelry store heists that we'd just closed that afternoon.

As it turns out, the heists had been committed by a guy that was trying to find the perfect ring for his girlfriend. He couldn't decide on one, so he'd just robbed stores and then presented her with all of her options, planning to sell the rest of the rings on the black market to make money to pay for the wedding.

So romantic.

"I, for one, am glad that you two are together," Danny said at one point. "For one thing, you should have _seen_ Steve when you first joined the team," he said to me. "I mean, the guy _hated_ you."

"Danny," Steve warned.

I put a hand on his arm and smiled. "It's okay, Steve. I was well aware that you didn't like me."

"What?" he asked, seeming mildly surprised. "I thought I hid it pretty well."

Everyone was in agreement that he did _not_ hide it pretty well.

"He hated that you were better than him," Danny told me. "You know, you had contacts that he didn't, took down some criminals before him, knew things that he didn't… He has control issues. You know that, right? I mean, you're in a relationship with the guy."

I laughed. "He's getting better."

"Hey!" Steve said, affronted.

"I like her," Danny told Steve. "And I like this relationship, because _you_ ," he pointed to Steve, "needed it. Especially after Catherine."

"We don't need to talk about Catherine," Steve said quickly, but it didn't sound like he was just trying to cover her up. He'd told me everything about his relationship with Catherine. It was more like… he didn't want to think about her because there was nothing left with her.

"No, we need to talk about Catherine," Danny disagreed, as usual. "She left you and I thought you'd never be the same, but it's obvious that you're happy. That you're _both_ happy. So, don't screw it up. That's all I'm saying."

Everyone laughed.

"I don't plan on screwing it up, Danny," Steve said. "But thank you for your input."

We spent the rest of our time there talking about work and swapping stories of when we'd been younger. I always enjoyed my time with the members of Five-O, but I especially enjoyed being there so close to Steve and out in the open. We could hold hands and smile at each other and not have to worry about who saw it.

I loved it.

As we were leaving, Steve said that he was going to go home and pack a bag, and then he would be over to spend the night. I agreed and went home to take a quick shower before changing into pajamas. Gideon alerted me to Steve's arrival right as the security system did, but I didn't even bother going downstairs because Steve had a key and knew the security code.

It had certainly taken me a while to trust him with it, but I'd known when the time had been right. We'd been dating for six months, and had known each other even longer than that. If I'd been the type to want to get married before thirty-five, I would have already started thinking about marriage and kids. I really loved him, and trusted him with my life.

He came upstairs and found me reading in bed. After a kiss, he grabbed the top of the book and looked at the title. " _Romeo and Juliet._ In the mood for poetry?" He slid into the bed next to me.

I snuggled against him. "Trying to find our quote."

"Ah," he said as he remembered. "And did you?"

"I think so." I turned a few pages and found the passage that I had highlighted. After a cough to clear my throat, I began to read. " _My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite._ "

He nodded his head slowly. "But don't you hate most things to do with the water?"

"I've taken up surfing," I reminded him. "And it's more about the symbolism, anyway."

"I sucked at the symbolism stuff in English," he told me. "Mrs. Hoffman gave me detention all the time because I never paid attention."

I slapped his shoulder gently. "Well, think about the sea. The oceans. Scientists estimate that _seventy-two_ percent of the world is water. It's boundless; when you're out in the middle of that water, you can't see anything else. It seems endless. And I _know_ that you know that the ocean is deep. It's just comparing love to that."

"I see." He thought for a few moments and then nodded his approval. "I like it."

"I thought you would, given that it has to do with the sea and you were in the Navy for half your life."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. "But shouldn't it be something that's important to you, too?"

"Shakespeare," I told him. "I'm a really big fan of his work. So, the fact that it came from one of his most iconic plays is good enough for me."

"Good." He leaned in to kiss me again and as he kissed me, he closed the book and set it aside. "Now, we have some things to do."

"Do we?" I giggled as he kissed down my neck.

"Yes. And tomorrow, we're going fishing."

I groaned my displeasure.

"Don't worry," he laughed and lifted his shirt over his head. "I plan to make it up to you now, before you can ever be upset about it."

"I like that plan."

"I thought you might." He leaned back in and pressed his lips to mine, and it wasn't long before I experienced that familiar sensation of flying.

Steve

The next morning, Allie and I got up and went for the usual run with Gideon. As we headed back, I stopped at my house and told Allie that I needed to get all of my fishing stuff together and I would come pick her up in my truck when I was done. She agreed and kissed me quickly before heading down the beach and to her house.

I took a quick shower and changed into shorts and a T-shirt, and then gathered all of the things that I normally took with me when I went fishing. Once it was all packed away in the truck, I went to go and pick up the keys from Chin's uncle, who once again gave me a warning about bringing his boat back without harm.

Allie had changed into a swimsuit with a clinging light blue cover, and it was all I could do not to rip it off of her as soon as she got into my truck. If she noticed, she gave no indication and instead asked me if I had remembered to put on sunscreen.

"Yes," I said, amused. "I remembered to put on sunscreen. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

We made it to the boat and she helped me carry all of the fishing supplies onto the boat. Once everything was loaded up, I called for her to help me get the boat out to sea. She never liked to have much to do with the boats that we took out, but I always insisted that she try to learn a little more every time that we went out. You never knew when knowing that kind of stuff would end up coming in handy, as I constantly reminded her.

"See? You're doing great," I told her as she steered us away from the docks.

She shot me an annoyed look. "I almost hit that dock back there."

Yes, she had, and I had panicked only momentarily before she'd corrected her course. "But you _didn't_. And no one died. Let's count that as a success."

She shook her head but couldn't fight the smile that crept up. "Did you put the location in?"

"I don't ever put the location of my secret fishing spot into the GPS." I came up beside her and gently adjusted her course. "I don't want anyone else to find it."

"I know that it's a big ocean, but don't you think that _maybe_ someone else has discovered that spot, too?"

I shook my head. "If anyone has, I've never seen them fishing there. And I'm taking the secret to my grave."

She rolled her eyes, clearly not understanding the sanctity of a secret fishing spot. It was the place that you could escape from the world. The place where you could just relax and unwind by catching some of the best fish out there. The place where you could feel proud of yourself just for having discovered.

"Slightly to the right," I told her and leaned against the side, watching her as she steered. Her ponytail blew in the breeze and she stared out ahead, expression serious. She was likely concentrating on steering, as she never seemed to relax until the boat had stopped.

"You're not steering a nuke," I told her after a couple of minutes. "You can relax."

She smiled only slightly. "I'm still not comfortable driving these things. Driving on water has so many less rules than the road. It's an accident waiting to happen."

"Not if you use your common sense."

"I'm not going to count on other people having the same level of common sense that I do."

She had a point.

About ten minutes later, we reached the spot and I anchored us so that we wouldn't move. Then, I walked her through setting up her pole and baiting the hook. She had gotten pretty good at it, but I had a feeling that she acted like she was worse than she actually was so that I would feel useful helping her. But I didn't mind that at all. It gave me more excuses to touch her and put my arms around her. Who could complain, really?

"Go ahead and cast," I told her and she did so with ease, her movements steady. Once her line was in the water a good ways out, she sat down on the bench to wait.

I finished with my own pole and then casted, watching as the hook sank into the water. Once I was comfortable with where it was, I sat down on the bench beside her and gestured out to the water, where there was no one else in sight. "See? Secret fishing spot."

She smiled at me, but rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say. I guess the seclusion is nice."

"What is it with you and water?" I asked her. "I know that you know how to swim because you took up surfing for a while."

"And then quit," she reminded me. "I don't know. I'm just not too into water activities."

"Fear of drowning?" I knew that she could swim because I'd seen her do so after she'd wiped out on her board, but that didn't mean that she couldn't still be afraid. It was actually a very common fear.

"No, not really." She shrugged and sighed. "I just don't like the water. I prefer dry land."

"I can't remember a time when I didn't love the water," I told her. "My dad taught me to surf when I was pretty young and I went every chance that I got. We had a beach right behind our house, so of course I loved to swim in it." I laughed, remembering. "Sometimes, I would even go for a swim before school and my mom would get onto me because I had to take a shower and get ready all over again. At night, we would all sit out there together and my sister and I would try to find seashells."

I looked over to see her smiling at me. "Sounds like you had a great childhood."

"Until my mom died, I thought it was perfect."

"I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "It was a long time ago. It was one of the hardest times in my life, but… I got through it. It changed my relationship with my father and we never really restored that before he died, but… it taught me a lot. About life. About relationships. Things happen, you know? Terrible things. They used to tell us during SEAL training that you should always be prepared to die and I always thought they were just trying to scare us, but… it's true. You can die at any time. Heart attack, car accident… shooting."

"The CIA used to tell us the same thing," she told me. "They always had us keep letters on file for the people we would want to say a final goodbye to. They usually had us update them about every six months to a year. I felt like I updated mine every single month."

"Who did you write them to?" I asked her curiously.

"One for each of my brothers. One for my Uncle Edward – my mother's brother. And one for my father."

She didn't talk about her mom much and I'd never pushed her on that, but I was too curious not to ask. "Not your mother?"

Staring out at the water, she said, "She wasn't much of a mother."

"You and Kol sang her praises the night that we all came over for pork chops," I reminded her. "She couldn't have been that bad."

"Not at first." She sighed deeply, expression turning sad. "She was great. Like the ultimate working mother. And then, when I was thirteen, she just disappeared. Not like a 'missing person' kind of disappeared; she just left us all a note saying that she had to go away for a while and figure some stuff out. And then she just never came back."

That was even worse than dying. When a mother died, they had no choice. When a mother left… they were choosing to do so. My heart broke for her. "Did you ever find out _why_? Or where she went?"

"I found her years later," she said, so quietly that I had to lean in to hear. "After I got out of the CIA. I guess after everything that happened with Ari… I just felt like life changed too quickly to keep wondering. It took months, but I finally found her. She was in New York City at the time, but I don't think she was keeping a permanent address; she was traveling a lot for work. I asked her why she'd left and she just said that she needed more than what being a mother could give her." She let out a humorless laugh, full of bitterness. "She loved her job more than she loved being a mother."

Like Catherine had loved _her_ job more than being with me. "I'm so sorry."

She forced a smile as she looked at me. "Like you said: it was a long time ago. She made her choice."

"Did you ever see her again?"

"No. And I never told any of my siblings that I'd found her. They took her disappearance pretty hard but always held out hope that she'd come back. I didn't want to take that away."

"Not even Kol?" I was surprised. She usually talked to Kol once or twice a week and never held anything back.

"Not even Kol," she sighed.

"Your mom missed out." I smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "You're a wonderful person. She'd be lucky to have you in her life. I know I am."

She kissed me, then, and it started out slow and sweet before turning into something deeper. I set my pole down so that I could give her my full attention, one arm looped around her waist and the other hand cupping the back of her neck.

When I moved my mouth down to her jaw, she said, "Your pole is going to fall into the water if you get a bite."

"Don't care." I could always buy another fishing pole.

She laughed and went back to kissing me.

Hours later, we made it back to the docks and I had her tie off the boat while I started taking all of our equipment back to the truck. When I returned, she proudly showed me the expert knot that she'd tied and I praised her, loving the shining look that she got in her eyes whenever she accomplished something that she'd been working at.

She helped me carry the rest of the equipment back to the truck and then came with me to return the keys to Chin's uncle, who was actually quite fond of her. I was convinced that if Allie asked him to borrow the boat, he wouldn't even bother to give her a warning about bringing it back in one piece. He talked to her like she was family and before we left, he gave me a warning not to "mess it up". Chin's uncle was just full of warnings for me.

"What is it about you that makes everyone just fall in love with you?" I asked her on the way back to her house.

She looked at me curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I was suspicious of you when you were first placed on the task force, but the others loved you after a few hours. Kamekona, too. And Duke. And the rest of the HPD officers. It's like people can't help but like you."

"I'm charming."

"That could be it," I agreed.

She laughed. "You would have loved me that first day, too, but you're just a naturally overly suspicious person."

"Am not!"

She gave me a look. "Seriously? Have you _met_ you?"

"I'm not _overly_ suspicious. I have just the right amount of healthy suspicion."

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow. "Should we call the rest of Five-O and take a poll?"

"No." I sulked. They would just agree with her. And… maybe they'd be right. "But my suspicion has kept me alive all these years." 

"Whatever you have to say to help yourself sleep better at night."

"I sleep just fine at night lying next to you, thank you very much," I told her. "As I intend to for the rest of my life."

I froze. That was the most committed statement that I had ever made regarding our relationship – implying that I intended for it to last for the rest of my life.

But she didn't mind at all. "Good."


	25. A Birthday Hike

… **..**

 **Goodness… I'm behind on everything. My life has been SO crazy lately with the pregnancy and my nine-month-old, who had a stomach virus this past weekend. I hope all of you have managed to avoid that junk! Anyway, I'm finally getting around to updating!**

 **So close to being done, but also so far. I actually want to drag the story out, just because it's been so much fun to write, but I'm going to stick with my original plan. But as I draw closer to the end, I find myself growing sadder and sadder. I don't want it to ever end!**

 **Thank you all so much for the support you've shown for this story by reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. And also to those of you that have sent me private messages. I so appreciate every single one of you so much.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Five: A Birthday Hike_

Allie

Sneaking out of bed when you shared that bed with a former Navy SEAL that still kept up his training regimen was no small feat. But, I had a background in sneaking around and so it was after roughly a hundred tiny, super slow movements that I was finally able to disentangle myself from him and creep slowly out of bed.

Before Steve had made it to my house the night before, I had stashed some clothes and toiletries in the downstairs guest bathroom, so I snuck out of my bedroom and silently closed the door behind me. Once I was certain that he hadn't woken up, I crept down the stairs and let Gideon outside before heading to the guest bathroom.

Once there, I changed into the black shorts and lacy blue tank, washed my face, and applied my makeup. My hair – messy from a night of rolling around in the sheets with Steve – went up into a cute messy bun. I let Gideon back into the house and then went to the kitchen and got started on the special breakfast that I had planned for Steve.

First, I did the orange juice – freshly squeezed, of course. Once that was in the fridge to chill, I started mixing the batter for the chocolate chip pancakes. As the griddle heated up, Kono texted me to say that they were all outside. The night before, I had also disarmed my security system so that it wouldn't beep. That, coupled with the box fan that I'd turned on in my room the night before, should ensure that Steve remained asleep, even though there would be noise in the kitchen.

I let the rest of Five-O into the house and led them to the kitchen.

Kono began setting up the presents on the table, Chin started slicing the fruit that he'd brought, and Danny helped himself to a glass of orange juice.

"Since you're helping yourself to the juice that was supposed to be for breakfast…" I handed him the bag of oranges. "You can juice the rest of these into that empty pitcher to make more."

"You invite me over for breakfast and then put me to work," he complained.

Chin rolled his eyes. "We all agreed to _help_ with breakfast. You're not doing anything."

"I am now," Danny announced as he opened the bag of oranges and took one out. "I'm making orange juice, okay? Leave me alone."

Kono laughed as she stepped away from the table, where she had arranged all of the presents artfully. "What else do you need me to do?"

"You can set the table," I told her and pointed to the cabinet near Chin. "Plates are in there and the silverware is in the drawer right below it. Napkins are in the pantry." As more pancakes cooked – blueberry this time – I got out the eggs and began cracking them into a bowl.

Time passed quickly and within ten minutes, there was a feast of pancakes (blueberry, chocolate chip, and plain), bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. Once it had been arranged on the table, I told everyone to sit while I went to wake Steve up.

"No funny business up there," Danny said. "This house isn't very big and I don't want to hear that kind of thing."

I rolled my eyes at him and went up the stairs, only to find that Steve was awake and had just stepped out of the shower.

"Hey," I said, surprised. "I didn't hear you get up. Did I wake you?"

"No," he said and leaned over to kiss me before taking a fresh pair of boxers out of his bag. "Woke up on my own and figured you'd gone for your run." He looked me over with hunger in his eyes. "But clearly, I was wrong. Why are you all dressed up?"

"It's your birthday!" I said and kissed him again. "I was downstairs making breakfast. Hungry?"

"For more than breakfast," he answered and pulled me back in for another kiss.

I almost fell right into it, but held on to the last vestiges of my self-control and pushed him away. "The breakfast will get cold." 

He leaned back in and spoke between kisses. "We can microwave it."

I laughed and pushed him away again. "Come on. I worked really hard on it. It's best when it's fresh."

He moaned but stepped away and quickly pulled on jeans and a gray tee. "Okay. Let's go."

I grabbed his hand and began to lead him down the stairs.

"Smells good," he complimented and then we walked into the kitchen and everyone yelled, "Surprise!"

"Whoa," Steve laughed. "Nice. I had no idea."

"Well, it's about time _someone_ managed to surprise you on your birthday," Danny told him as he approached to give him a hug. "We've only been trying for three years. Happy birthday, buddy."

Chin and Kono also gave him a hug and a birthday sentiment, and then we all sat down and dug into the breakfast. It was delicious – at the risk of sounding egotistical – and good conversation flowed.

"What else do you have planned for today?" Kono asked me.

"I don't think we want to know about that," Danny quipped.

"Shut up," Steve said and kicked him under the table. "You're just jealous because you have no love life."

"I'll have you know, I went on a date two nights ago," Danny said, but Steve only teased him about how long ago that had been and asked him questions about the woman. Turns out, the date had been a total bust.

"To answer your question," I told Kono once the boys had stopped their bickering. "We're going on a hike at Manoa Falls. Steve's been bugging me forever to let him take me out there."

"You don't like hiking?" Chin asked me.

"I don't mind hiking," I said. "I've never really been much. I just haven't wanted to waste a whole day with it before."

"It's not a waste," Steve told me very seriously. "The trail is beautiful. You'll see."

"And it's good exercise," Danny said. "That's really why you want to go, isn't it? You think you'd die if you went more than a few hours without some kind of exercise."

"I'll have you know that we skipped our morning run this morning," Steve returned.

"Wow," Danny replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You skipped one whole run. And you're still alive."

"Hush," I reprimanded them and threw a piece of pineapple at Danny across the table. "You two bicker more than we do."

"Old married couple," Kono teased them.

We started talking about other things and before long, it was time to open the presents. I'd gotten him a new watch similar to mine – but without quite so many functions – and a new pair of hiking boots. Kono had gotten him a new backpack to use for hiking, and Chin had complemented that with some hiking supplies – rope, a water bottle, and various other things. Danny had gotten him a gift card to a restaurant that they frequented so that Steve "can pay every once in a while".

Everyone stuck around to help with the cleanup and then they said that they would clear out so that we could get started on our hike.

"It's a nice day for it," Chin approved. "Happy Birthday, Steve."

He thanked everyone and showed them out, and I let Gideon outside so that he could get some exercise, since we'd missed our morning run. Then, Steve and I went upstairs so that we could get ready for the hike.

"I brought you some hiking clothes," I told him as we walked into my bedroom. My bedroom that was quickly becoming _our_ bedroom. Though he usually just packed a bag with clothes and brought it over, he had a toothbrush in the holder next to mine, his shampoo and body wash in the shower, and a small space in my top drawer where he kept some extra clothes just in case he forgot something. There were razors, hair gel, and aftershave in one of the drawers in the bathroom. And the smell of him was everywhere.

"Good. And I can break in my new boots," he said, watching as I peeled off my tank and shorts so that I could change into something more suited for a hike. The trail was supposed to be an easy one, but I knew that I would still get sweaty and gross, and there was no sense in ruining good clothes.

I picked out black shorts and a purple tank, but before I could begin to pull them on, Steve caught me around the waist and carried me over to the bed, tossing me down onto it. I laughed and watched him crawl over me. "What are you doing?"

"We might be too tired after the hike," he informed me as he began to kiss his way up my body. "So, I figured we'd go ahead and get this out of the way."

" _Get this out of the way_?" I laughed. "Well, if it's such a chore for you, then don't even bother."

"Stop." He kissed me deeply. "It's not a chore for me, and you know it."

"You're going to have to prove that."

"No problem."

Nearly half an hour later, we laid beside each other, trying to get our breath back.

"Proven?" Steve asked me after a moment, and I could only laugh in response. "I'll take that as a yes. Or, I suppose I could reference all of the other times that you've said 'yes' in the last twenty minutes."

I reached over and playfully hit his arm. "I can't help it."

"Luckily for you, I like it." He propped himself up on an elbow and leaned over to kiss me. "Ready to go?"

"Naked?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He laughed. "If you want."

I knew that he really wouldn't mind. Rolling my eyes, I moved to get out of bed. "Let's put some clothes on and get going. I hear that the trail can be pretty crowded."

"Maybe we'll get lucky," he replied and also stood so that he could get dressed for the hike.

Once we were both ready, we went downstairs and Steve packed his backpack with everything that he thought we could possibly need for the hike.

"It's a small trail," I reminded him as I watched him pack rappelling equipment.

He grinned at me. "I like to go off the beaten path sometimes. Don't worry; you'll love it."

"Will there be a stream for Gideon?" I asked him as I grabbed a few snack bars out of the pantry.

"Plenty of them," he nodded. "Did you feed him extra this morning? He'll probably burn off quite a bit."

"I did." I called Gideon over to me and clipped on his leash. "And it looks like he's already had all of the water that I gave him this morning, so he should be hydrated. Ready to go?"

"Ready," Steve agreed, and we all piled into his truck and took off for the trail.

"Thanks for doing this for me," he said after we'd been driving about five minutes.

I looked over at him and smiled. "No problem. It _is_ a special day, after all."

"Every day with you is special." Steve McGarrett may have been a Navy SEAL and one of the toughest men I'd ever met, but he could also be one of the sweetest.

"Danny would have a lot to say about that," I teased him.

He grabbed my hand. "Danny has a lot to say about everything. Speaking of… that was a nice surprise this morning – having everyone over for breakfast."

"They were all happy to do it. They said it's about time they gave you a good surprise."

He laughed and began to tell me about all of the times that they had tried – and failed – to surprise him on his birthday before. "I'm sure they were happy to finally accomplish it."

"Here we are," I announced as he pulled into the parking lot. "Not too many cars."

"We got lucky," he agreed and parked. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Steve

The trail was just as beautiful as I remembered, and I could tell that Allie enjoyed it as well. Gideon didn't really care about where we were – he just liked being close to us. Right at the entrance, a couple of small kids wanted to pet Gideon and after getting permission from their parents – who wanted reassurance from Allie that he was calm, they approached.

Allie told Gideon to sit and he did, allowing the children to hug and pet him. He was very good with them, and even kept the younger one from falling over. The parents thanked Allie and then scooped up their kids and took them to their car, with the kids giggling the whole way.

As we started walking on the trail, I saw that Allie had a sweet smile on her face.

"I thought you weren't crazy about kids?" I asked her, referencing a conversation we'd had after she'd met Grace for the first time.

"I've honestly never been around them all that much," she told me with a shrug. "I don't necessarily mind them…"

"You just don't want them?" I asked her.

She seemed surprised by my question. "Why? Do _you_?"

"You know… If you had asked me a few months ago, I probably would have said no. But… I don't know… now…"

When I grew silent, she gently nudged my side to prompt me. "Now?"

I smiled at her and took the hand that wasn't holding Gideon's leash. "Now, I'm starting to think a lot more about what I want for the future, and I think kids are a real possibility. Don't you?" Obviously, I had every intention of spending my life with her. I had even picked out a ring and had it in my pocket – ready to go when we reached a beautiful spot off of the trail.

Danny was the only one that knew of my plans.

" _You're awfully happy today," he told me. "Your birthday isn't until tomorrow."_

" _I know."_

" _Ah, are you and Allie going away for the weekend to celebrate? Is that what's got you so hyped up?"_

 _I shook my head. "No, we're not going away for the weekend. I_ did _manage to talk her into taking a hike with me for my birthday, though."_

" _Oh, a hike," he said, sarcasm shining through in his voice. "You know, normal people_ relax _on their birthday. They… eat breakfast in bed and go out to dinner at their favorite restaurant. But you… you go on a hike."_

" _It's just Manoa Trail," I told him. "Just a couple of miles."_

" _It doesn't matter if it's ten miles!" he told me. "Why in God's name would you want to go on a_ hike _on your birthday? You could spend the whole day in bed with Allie."_

" _As much fun as that is, I have plans."_

 _He grew suspicious then and stared hard at me, as if he would eventually be able to see my secrets. "What plans?"_

 _I couldn't fight the smile that spread across my face. "I'm going to ask Allie to marry me."_

 _There was silence for several long seconds and I looked over to see Danny with his mouth hanging open, more surprised than I'd ever seen him. Just as I was about to ask him if he needed water or something, he reacted._

" _Are you serious?!"_

" _Pretty serious." I reached into the pocket of my jeans and handed him the box with the ring in it that I'd picked up on my way into work. I hadn't had a chance to stash it away yet. And, as we were in Danny's car heading for a crime scene, I wouldn't have that chance for a while._

 _He opened the lid and looked at the ring, a halo diamond engagement ring with white gold. The saleslady that had helped me pick it out had sworn that she would love it, as had her twin brother. Whistling, Danny said, "This is nice."_

" _I know. Took forever to pick it out. And it drained most of my savings, but it's worth it."_

 _Danny handed the box back to me. "When did you decide to do this?"_

" _I think I've known for a while. But the other night we were just laying there in bed, talking about the case we'd just finished, and I realized that I don't ever want to be without her. I made the mistake of waiting for far too long with Catherine, and I don't want to do that ever again. I went out and bought the ring the next day, and I've just been waiting for the right time."_

" _I'm proud of you, buddy," Danny said with a grin. "Man, this secret is going to be so hard to keep."_

 _I gave him my best stern look. "Well, you'd better keep it. It needs to be a surprise."_

" _So, you're going to ask her when you two go hiking tomorrow?"_

 _I nodded. "There's a spot that my dad used to take us all to. It's a little off the beaten path, but it's so beautiful there. I'm going to show it to her and then I'm going to ask her to marry me."_

" _Man, this is so exciting!" Danny said, and his grin couldn't have gotten any bigger. "I am_ so _happy for you, babe. Seriously. Allie is amazing and the two of you are perfect together."_

" _I kind of thought you would say it's too soon," I admitted. "We've only been dating half a year."_

" _You're not nineteen-year-old kids that haven't even_ lived _yet," he told me. "You're both over thirty, you have good careers, and you know who you are and what you want in life. And you obviously make each other very happy. I say go for it. Don't screw it up."_

" _Thanks for the vote of confidence, partner."_

" _Hey, I'm here for you, babe."_

Back in the present, Allie nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd like to have kids someday." And then she got a strange expression on her face, like she was thinking really hard.

"You okay?" I asked her.

As quick as it came, the look was gone and she smiled at me and nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Just trying to remember what time we need to be back home to get ready in time for dinner."

"Don't worry about dinner," I said and noticed that we were approaching the spot where we needed to veer off of the trail. "Over here."

"Ah, the super secret spot," she teased me. "What is it with you and secret spots, anyway?"

I shrugged. "It's always good to have a place to escape to. You can let Gideon off the leash, if you want. If you think he won't run off."

"He won't." She took off his leash and gave him a command in Dutch. When we continued to walk, he stuck close to her side, as I assumed she'd commanded him to do.

She made small talk about how pretty the trail was and I tried to follow along, but I was growing increasingly nervous as we grew closer and closer to the spot. I was worried that something was going to go wrong, which was completely ridiculous. I'd remembered the ring and I didn't plan to make a big speech, so everything was going to be fine.

"Here it is," I said and spread my arms out, gesturing to the tall tree and beautiful flowers all around. A stream flowed right through the middle, and Gideon eagerly ran to it and began to drink. I was sure the water was very sweet.

"Wow," Allie said, and I never wanted her to stop smiling like that – bright and glowing.

I wasn't even looking at the scenery; I was looking at her. "Yeah. Wow."

She laughed and turned to me, eyes glowing. "Thank you for showing me this. It's perfect."

I nodded, heart in my throat, and took a step back so that I could get down on one knee.

That's when Gideon began to bark – deep, angry barks.

"Gideon-" Allie started to say.

And then we heard the child scream.


	26. Lost But Not Forgotten

… **..**

 **I got several private messages telling me how frustrated you were after the end of the last chapter and I just have to say… me too! But that's how it has to work out. Sorry! But don't you love me for once again updating on a Friday?! At least… I tried to, but FanFiction seems to be having a lot of problems at the moment. I think the crazy is over and I'm finally back on track!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, or following the story (and me!). And also to those of you that have sent me private messages. I appreciate you all very much and I hope that you know that.**

 **Reminder: I only use the characters and the premise of the show, not the actual storyline. I'm sure that you remember after all this time, but better safe than sorry.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Six: Lost But Not Forgotten_

Allie

"Go!" I said to Gideon, and he took off faster than Steve and I could run. We followed behind at an intense, but slower, pace.

And then we crashed into a small clearing and found Gideon on top of a man, wrestling, while a little girl stood nearby, crying and trembling.

"Get her!" I said to Steve and called for Gideon to get off of the man but hold his arm. He obeyed immediately, and the man began to kick out at him. There was a gun nearby, and I grabbed it and pointed it at the man. "Don't move!"

He looked up at me with dark eyes full of anger, but stopped kicking out at Gideon.

"Release," I said in Dutch, and Gideon let go of the man's arm, leaving bleeding marks behind. Then, he backed up just a few steps, keeping eyes on the man the whole time, just in case he tried anything. Not likely, while I was holding a gun, but it was what he'd been trained to do.

"Toss me your backpack," I said to Steve, who held the sobbing girl in his arms. He managed to get his arms through the straps and passed it over. I dug through it until I found the nylon rope and then I kept my gun trained on the man as I moved behind him. "Make one wrong move, that dog is going to be on you in less than a second and you'll have a bullet in your back."

Wisely, he didn't move at all as I tied his hands securely behind his back. Once I was certain that he wouldn't be able to go anywhere, I moved back in front of him and tossed the backpack back to Steve. "Who are you?"

He stared at me with more than just anger in his eyes – there was hatred there, too. Whatever Steve and I had interrupted by finding that little girl, it had meant a lot to him. I began to feel sick to my stomach, so I distracted myself by observing him.

He was dressed in a plaid shirt, jeans, and boots, all stained with dirt and grass and mud. There wasn't much to see about his face beneath the thick salt and pepper beard that matched his thinning hair. There was dirt under his fingernails and the rest of him was filthy, too. Something about him gave me the creeps, and about a million different emotions raced through me as I thought about what that little girl might have gone through at his hands.

"Who are you?" I asked him again, rougher this time, but he said nothing.

"His name is Hank." The girl that Steve had been holding had finally stopped sobbing, though she still had tears running from her big brown eyes. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "That's what the other guy called him."

"What other guy?" Steve asked her.

"There are two of them," she said, voice breaking. "They take turns watching us."

Steve and I exchanged a look. Likely, there were more kids out here in the woods somewhere, and another man watching them.

"Here, sweetie." Steve took a bottle of water out of the backpack and opened it for her. "Are you thirsty?"

She drank the entire bottle in the span of a minute, but declined more. But her eyes were hopeful as she asked, "Do you have any food in there?"

"There's some snack bars," I told Steve, even though I knew that he remembered. He got one out and opened it for her, and she eagerly began to eat, acting like she hadn't eaten in days.

She probably hadn't. She was skinnier than she should have been – the pink dress that she wore practically hung off of her thin frame. I looked her over to see if I recognized her from any recent missing children cases – thin brown hair, light skin, freckles across her nose – but couldn't place her.

She ate the bar that we gave her and then one more, and then she drank another half bottle of water. When she was finished, Steve straightened up and looked to me. "We need to get both of them to the trail. Do you have signal?"

I took out my cell phone and nodded. "Barely. One bar."

"Give me the gun," he said as he stepped forward, but the girl screamed and ran to him, clinging to his leg. "No! Don't leave!"

He knelt back down in front of her and smoothed the hair away from her face. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to leave."

Tears began to stream from her eyes again. "He'll hurt me."

"We won't let him hurt you, sweetie," he said. "What if we have the dog stand right by you? He's a very special dog; he protects people."

She must have remembered how he had taken Hank down, because she thought for only a moment before nodding her agreement. "Okay."

I commanded Gideon to go stand by her and he did so immediately, allowing her to pet him for comfort. Then, I handed the gun to Steve and put a call in to Danny.

He answered on the third ring, sounding more jovial than I would have thought he'd be on a Saturday without his daughter. "Congratulations!"

"Congratulations?" I asked him, confused. "No, Danny, listen. We need you and the rest of Five-O out here now. And call HPD on the way and have them send a few uniformed officers."

The joviality left his voice immediately. "What's going on?"

"We're not entirely sure yet. We found a girl off the trail being chased by a man. She said that there's another man and some more children somewhere in the forest."

He spat out a curse and I heard him grab his keys. "Okay. I'll call everyone and get them there as soon as I can. Can you guys meet us at the trail head or do we need to come find you?"

"No, we can meet you. The guy is tied up and we have his gun and Gideon. We'll be fine. Just hurry; we need to find those kids."

We hung up and I nodded at Steve. "He's on his way with the cavalry. I told him we'd meet him in the parking lot."

"Okay," Steve said. "Let's go, then." He handed me the gun and then walked over to the girl. "I better carry you, sweetie. It's a bit of a hike to the parking lot."

She nodded and put her arms around his neck as he scooped her up. Meanwhile, I called Gideon over to me and jerked the man to his feet, pressing the gun into his back and threatening him in a low voice. "Make one wrong move, and I'm going to put a bullet in your back."

He didn't resist, but he did sneer at me as we started walking. "You'll never find those kids." His voice gave me the sensation of bugs crawling all over my skin, and it was all I could do not to throw up. I didn't even want to imagine what that little girl must have gone through.

Up ahead, Steve was talking to the girl as he walked, probably trying to get any information out of her that he could. Name, date of birth… all of that could be helpful for identifying her. Hank looked like he wanted to say something, but the gun jabbed into his back was a pretty good deterrent.

There was no one around once we reached the trail, for which I was grateful. The hike back was only a little rough and Hank started to complain, but I told him I'd be happy to have Gideon grab his arm and help drag him along. That shut him right up.

One HPD car was pulling up as we reached the parking lot, and one of the officers came forward to take Hank and cuff him properly. Gideon watched until he was stowed away in the back of the police car.

"Alex Copeland," Steve was telling the other officer as I approached. "She's six years old."

The officer nodded. "I'll run her name through our system real quick. Hold tight."

Steve spoke to the other officer. "We need to begin clearing this trail. Do we have SWAT incoming?"

The officer nodded. "ETA is five minutes."

"Good."

A female officer arrived on the scene and, with a little convincing, Alex agreed to go with her after extracting a promise that we would get the others.

"There's four of us," she told me and took the macramé bracelet off of her wrist. "This is Suzy's. She said that if I got away, I should give it to her mommy."

I took the bracelet and forced myself to smile at her. "We're going to do everything that we can to get Suzy and the others, okay? But do you think you can tell us anything about where they kept you?"

"It's close to where you found me," she said, which actually was helpful, as it cut out a lot of the forest. "There's a cave – a really deep one – and that's where they keep us."

And _that_ was extremely helpful, as there actually weren't too many caves in the area. Tourists were encouraged to keep away from them, as wild boars sometimes sought them out for temporary homes. But, apparently, these two men had staked their claim first.

"You've been very brave, Alex," Steve told her with a smile. "Everything's going to be okay now. Go with this nice officer, okay?"

She nodded and allowed the officer to lead her away.

Danny pulled up moments later, already geared up and ready to go. As we approached, he popped the trunk and gestured to the extra gear inside. "Good thing my apartment is close to HQ. I swung by and picked up vests and a few guns."

"Good thinking," Steve approved as he handed me a vest and then grabbed one for himself.

We secured the vests and then grabbed a couple of the guns. Chin and Kono pulled up moments later, already geared up and ready to go. Once they were all gathered around, Steve filled them in on what had happened, as well as what the plan was going to be moving forward.

SWAT arrived minutes later and they were given orders. Then, we were ready to go.

"Are you sure you want to let Gideon come along?" Steve asked when my dog ran out to the front to lead the way.

"He's combat trained," I reminded him. "And let's not forget who took down Hank in the first place."

Our perp was Hank De la Cruz, and he was wanted in five different states on the mainland for a variety of crimes, all of them involving children. He was lucky that I hadn't known that before I'd tied him up, or I would have made the ropes much too tight.

"I don't want you keeping too close of an eye on him," Steve told me. "You need to be focused."

"Trust me, _he'll_ be the one keeping an eye on _me_." I smiled at him. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

He nodded and veered off the trail, leading the team to the spot where we'd found the girl.

Allie

We found the cave and sent a picture to the officer with Alex. Moments later, she sent back a text saying that Alex had confirmed that it was the right cave. She recognized the notches in the cave entrance.

Steve nodded to signal that it was time to go in, and we all followed his lead, guns at the ready. The cave really was deep, and we walked for about a minute before Steve held up a hand to stop us. I peered around him to see that there was a hole in the floor – it had started as a natural hole but had clearly been widened. A rope ladder was hanging down.

"Cover me," Steve told me and I nodded, pointing my gun down into the hole as he began to climb down. Once he was down, I motioned for Danny to go next. One by one the rest of them climbed down the ladder, until there was only one SWAT member left. He said that he was going to remain up top as a lookout, so I ordered Gideon to stay with him and keep watch.

Then, I descended the ladder as the others finished clearing everything.

What I saw was going to haunt me for a very long time.

The cave was damp and cool, despite the heat and humidity outside. Against one of the walls, there was a large storage cabinet, which Kono had opened to reveal a stockpile of food and toiletries. Beside that, there was a table with a couple of chairs. There were a few buckets, some cleaning supplies… But most haunting of all was what was against the wall opposite all of that.

There were four cages – like the kind that you would put large dogs in for a road trip – and all but one of them had a child in it. They were locked in like animals, cowering against the back of the cages. A couple of them were crying.

All that they had in their cages was a bottle of water, a single, dirty blanket, and one toy each. There were two boys and one girl. Alex would have made it even.

"Get those locks off," Steve ordered, and the members of SWAT moved forward to do just that, trying to reassure the crying kids as they did.

"Radio it in," Steve told Kono, and she did so, asking for paramedics to be waiting for us when we returned.

From up top, there was a gunshot and then the member of SWAT that had stayed up top called down to us. "I got the other guy! Want me to walk him back to the others?"

"Yes!" I called back and then explained to Steve. "I think it would be best if the kids don't have to see him. We have no idea what they've endured at his hands."

"Good thinking," Chin agreed.

One by one, the kids were let out of the cages. It took some coaxing, but they finally came to us and realized that we were cops, here to rescue them from the hell that they'd been living in. One of the little boys latched onto me, the other onto Steve. Danny took the little girl, easily able to gain a rapport with her when he started telling her about his own daughter.

Climbing up the ladder was rough with a kid hanging onto me, but I did it and so did the others, until we were all out of that hellhole and back out in the sun. Gideon was waiting for us, and the little boy that had been hanging on to Steve seemed to open up a little bit more when he saw him.

Before long, the kids were walking on their own as Gideon ran around among them, enjoying all of the attention and pets that he was getting. The rest of us trailed behind, somber in the face of what we had discovered – Chin had found a file cabinet with all manner of child pornography in it. Those young kids were never going to be the same.

Once we were back in the parking lot, paramedics began to examine the kids, finding all kinds of minor injuries, as well as signs of dehydration and malnourishment. As they started to work on them, an officer approached us and told us that they'd found out who all of the kids were.

"They've all been missing for over a year," he told us. "Alex was the very first one taken – abducted while her family was hiking here a year and a half ago. They were on vacation from California, and Alex was considered dead after a year."

"Did you contact them?" Danny asked.

The officer nodded. "They're on their way. We've also contacted the parents of the other three victims, and they're also on their way. In the meantime, the children will be taken to the hospital and treated. Social workers will be there to oversee everything."

"I can't even imagine what those parents went through, thinking that their kids have been dead all this time," Danny said sadly. "And now… I mean… is this any better?"

"Alive is always better," Chin said. "But they're going to have some tough times ahead of them."

Kono just walked away, tears in her eyes.

"It's been a rough day," I said quietly and began to take off my vest. "Let's go home."

"Yeah." Chin clapped Steve's shoulder. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Hey, nothing I'd rather be doing than helping those that need it," Steve said and also began removing his vest.

As I was putting everything back into the trunk of Danny's Camaro, I saw that he and Steve were having a whispered conversation from a few yards away, just soft enough that I couldn't hear. It seemed pretty intense, though, as Danny was waving his arms all around and giving Steve some crazy looks.

"Everything okay?" I asked as I approached.

They both clammed up instantly.

Suspicious.

"Fine," Steve said, and Danny gave an odd smile as he nodded his agreement.

I didn't believe them for one second, and the look that I gave them communicated that clearly. "Yeah… seriously, what's going on? What were you two over here whispering about?"

Danny looked at Steve, and then looked back to me.

But, as he opened his mouth to speak, Steve said, "Don't you dare," in a warning tone.

Danny appeared affronted. "I was just going to compliment her training of Gideon."

"You were not."

"Okay," I said, stopping their argument. "Seriously, what's going on? Nothing else has gone wrong today, has it?"

Danny's eyes lit up. "Well, actually, now that you mention it, something else _did_ go wrong today, sadly."

Steve's eyes were shooting fire at Danny.

I looked between them for a few moments and then asked, "Well? What else went wrong today? Is Grace okay?"

"Grace is fine," Danny assured me and looked to Steve.

"Steve?" I asked.

"Not now," he said, more to Danny than to me. "Not after all of the shit that we had to see today."

"Actually," Danny argued, "all of the shit that we had to see today is _exactly_ the reason why now is the perfect time. End the day on a positive note."

"I will," Steve assured him. "Just not right now. And you're really pissing me off, so unless you want to spend the night in the hospital…"

Danny held his hands up in surrender and began to walk away. "Okay, okay. Have a good night, you two."

I looked to Steve. "What was he talking about?"

"Come on," he said and put his arm around me. "I'll tell you once we're home and we've showered."

So, we headed home and took a long shower together, but he distracted me immediately afterwards and I forgot to ask him again until we were at the restaurant for dinner.

"Not now," he told me with a smile. "After dinner."

I gave him a look to tell him that I would hold him to it and then ordered my lobster.

"You know, I can handle bad news," I told him as we walked out of the restaurant.

"I hope it's not bad news," he laughed and pulled me away as I began to head for the truck. "Let's walk on the beach for a bit."

"Then what is it?" I tried to figure out what it could possibly be, but I was drawing a blank. It was a mystery.

"Patience," he teased me. "I know it's not your strongest attribute, but just wait a few more minutes."

I huffed in frustration but allowed him to lead me closer to the water.

And it was there, on that beach, that Steve turned to me and knelt as the sun began to set.

Everything sank into place as he took a blue velvet box out of his pocket.

"Oh, my God," I said, or maybe it was all just in my head. Either way, my whole world was spinning.

"I'm not good at big speeches," he told me, and I could tell that he was nervous. "So, all I'm going to say is that I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And if there's anything that I've learned about relationships in my life, it's that you have to hold on tight and never let go. So, will you let me do that? Will you marry me?"

I choked back tears and nodded, throwing myself into his arms as he rose to catch me.

And in that moment in time, everything in my world was perfect.

For a little bit longer.


	27. Never Forget

… **..**

 **Back on my regular schedule and it feels so nice! You know I love you guys. Speaking of which… if you have children – or nieces or nephews or kids that you teach (of pretty much any age), you NEED to check out Usborne books. My son is OBSESSED (and so am I, to be honest). Reading is so important. If you need any recommendations, let me know – always feel free to PM me. Anyways…**

 **I know, I know… they're engaged! It's so exciting. But… unfortunately, it's not the end of their story. In fact, it's really just the beginning. I'm getting down to the last little bit of the story and I wanted to pose a question to all of you: should I write a sequel, or just make a part two and keep posting to this story? Please take a vote.**

 **Thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story (and me!). I appreciate you all more than you could ever know.**

 **Happy Reading (and don't forget to vote!)!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Seven: Never Forget_

Steve

As soon as I walked into the Five-O offices on Monday, I was met with a loud chorus of "surprise!" There were gold balloons everywhere and the team stood at the large screen, smiling. In front of them was a cake with 'congratulations' written on it.

"I'm guessing that Danny spilled?" I said with a smile, not even mad. Sure, he had almost ruined my proposal, but it had all turned out all right in the end. I'd even asked him to be my best man.

Kono and Chin gave me hugs and congratulated me personally.

"Where's Allie?" Kono asked. "I want to see the ring."

I grabbed the knife and began to cut into the cake, pleased to see that it was chocolate and the frosting – after a verified taste test – was buttercream. "She had a doctor's appointment this morning. It's time for her yearly physical."

"Oh, I need to schedule mine," Chin said with a low curse. "I hate going to the doctor."

"Physicals aren't bad," Kono said and then looked back to me. "What time is her appointment?"

I looked at my watch. _9:10_. "Right now. She should be done pretty soon. How long do physicals take?"

"You should know," Danny replied and took his turn cutting into the cake. "You have to get physicals, too."

"I usually just get a note whenever I go in with an injury." It was easier that way.

"Ah," Danny said, "which would be _all the time_. I don't know, they usually take about half an hour. If the nurse isn't Chatty Cathy like my last nurse was." He regaled us with the tale, even though none of us had asked him to and actually probably would have preferred that he didn't.

Just as he finished up his story, an HPD officer walked in with two men trailing behind him. The men were both dressed very well, but one was obviously more superior than the other. He had the appearance and air of a man that made a lot of money and knew what he was worth. He looked European – Italian, maybe – and his companion looked the same. His dark hair was slicked back stylishly and his eyes were dark and… cold.

"Commander McGarrett," the officer said once they'd drawn close. "These two men are here to see Officer Rhodes. They said that they're old friends and they need her help."

"Officer Rhodes had an appointment this morning," I said, and I could feel the wariness from my team. They were also suspicious of these men. "Is there anything _I_ can help you with?"

"No, I'm sorry," the man said. Even his voice carried an air of authority. He was obviously used to getting his way. "I'm afraid I must speak with Officer Rhodes as soon as she gets in."

"Let's back up a second." I didn't like this guy, but I planned to tread carefully. I stepped forward and offered my hand, noting how the other guy seemed to tense just a little bit at my movement. A bodyguard, then – just as I'd suspected. "Lieutenant Commander Steven McGarrett. And this is the rest of my team – Detective Danny Williams, Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly, and Officer Kono Kalakaua."

He shook my hand and I saw the flash of a watch that was worth four months of my salary. Maybe more. "I appreciate your manners, Commander McGarrett. I am Nicolas Medici." He didn't introduce his bodyguard, but that was typical among the very rich. Bodyguards were hardly people – they were just _there_. Easily replaced.

I nodded to the HPD officer to indicate that I could take over and then told Nicolas, "I don't know when Allie will be back. But there are some chairs right over there; you're welcome to wait. Can I get you some coffee?"

He laughed, though nothing that I'd said had sounded funny to me. "No, thank you, Commander. I mean no offense, but I only drink freshly brewed Italian espresso. I had some before I left my hotel room this morning."

I would never understand pompous rich people. "Of course. Well, let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you." He moved for the chairs and while he sat down in one, elegantly folding his long frame in, his bodyguard did not. Instead, he stood nearby, ever watchful. When his boss began to make some calls – in Italian, of course – he didn't even flinch. He was trained very well.

"Look this guy up," I said softly to Kono, who nodded and disappeared into her own office.

The rest of us milled around the large screen, looking at some recent cases to see if there was one we might be interested in. I was having a hard time focusing, however, as I kept stealing glances at Medici.

He seemed perfectly at ease as he talked on the phone, sometimes chuckling and sometimes serious. People like him – people with a lot of money to burn – often acted like there wasn't a place that they didn't fit in. It was an air of confidence that they wore like armor.

"Here," Kono said about ten minutes later and slid a piece of paper in front of me.

Chin and Danny leaned in to read with me.

Nicolas Medici was a very rich Italian businessman that had suspected ties to the Sicilian Mafia. Whether he was a leader or he just performed jobs for them, no one knew. But Interpol had been watching him very closely, even pinging his arrival in Hawaii. They didn't have anything solid on him yet, but he was suspected of a lot of different things.

"What's this guy's connection to Allie?" Danny asked me once he'd finished reading.

"I'm not sure." I looked up at Medici again and found him typing away on his phone, oblivious to everything else around him. He didn't need to be aware; he had a bodyguard to do that for him.

Before I could tell Chin to warn Allie, she walked through the door, looking as gorgeous as ever in dark jeans, a gray tee, and black boots. She'd spent more time on her makeup than normal, and her blue eyes were bright, casting a glow on her face. Her dark hair was up in a cute messy bun.

She smiled at us as she approached. "Hey, guys. Sorry the appointment took so long, I-" And then she froze as her eyes took in the two men in the corner. Her expression changed to one of surprise, but also one of recognition. Somehow, she knew this guy.

He had seen her come in and smiled as he stood and approached, acting as if he was greeting a very old friend. "It's so good to see you, _passerotta_."

"Nicolas." Allie's greeting could best be described as 'cordial'. She seemed neither happy, nor upset at seeing him. When he took her hands, she did the typical European thing of kissing both cheeks. "This is a surprise."

"I knew that it would be," he told her, still smiling as if he was the happiest man on earth to be talking to her. "You look _bellissima_ , _passerotta._ The island has done you some good."

" _Gratzie_ ," she replied.

He said something in Italian that I tried to translate, but it had been so long since I'd spoken the language. It had been something about how glad he was to see her.

"What can I do for you?" Allie asked, not in Italian, even though it was one of the languages that she spoke fluently.

"I could use some advice," he said. "Some help, really. Would you allow me to buy you lunch? We have much to catch up on."

Allie considered it for a moment and then nodded, giving a small smile. "Of course. As long as you're buying."

"A gentleman always pays, _passerotta_ ," he laughed. "I shall meet you downstairs, yes?"

Allie nodded and Medici told us all that it had been a pleasure to meet us. Then, he disappeared and I looked to Allie. "Who is that guy?"

She seemed surprised. "He didn't introduce himself? He usually prides himself on his impeccable manners."

"He did," I said and waved the paper that Kono had printed off. "We looked him up. How do you know him?"

She sighed. "He's an old family friend."

I froze. "Please tell me your family doesn't have connections to the Sicilian Mafia."

She laughed. "No. We're not involved with anything like that. But Nicolas and my mother were close friends. I'm sure he just wants to catch up and talk about art or something."

"Maybe you shouldn't go."

She gave me a look. "It'll be fine. Don't worry. We'll have lunch, talk, and then I'll be right back here. Okay?"

I still didn't want her to go, but I knew that Allie could take care of herself. And she wouldn't have told me not to worry if she thought there was something to be concerned about. He probably really was just an old friend of her father's. "Okay. Fine. How was your physical?"

Confusion clouded her expression and then cleared as quickly as it had come. "Oh, it was good." 

"Do you have your clearance paper?"

"Already sent it to the governor," she said. "Do you guys need me for anything else before I go?"

"Yeah," Kono said with a grin and came around the screen to give her a hug. "Congratulations."

"Oh," Allie laughed. "Thank you."

Kono admired the ring for a bit and then asked when the wedding was going to be.

"We just got engaged, Kono," I reminded her. "Give it some time."

"You don't have to wait long," Chin said. "Hawaii is the most beautiful place in the world to have a wedding and there are companies here that could throw something together in a few days."

"We'll think about it," Allie laughed and headed for the door. "See you guys in a bit!"

I watched her go and tried to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Allie

As promised, Nicolas and his bodyguard met me downstairs and then led me out to a beautiful black limo – only the best for Nicolas Medici.

"Please," he told me as he gestured for me to slide in first, and I did so with ease. He came next, followed by the bodyguard, and then the limo began to move.

"Have you enjoyed your time in Hawaii?" I asked Nicolas, and he smiled pleasantly back at me.

"I have. It's a rather charming island. I might have to buy a vacation home here."

 _Please don't_ , I thought, but I didn't say that. Until I knew what he was doing here, I planned to be on my best behavior, best manners included. "It is rather lovely. You should try to get a house on the beach. You could remodel it to style it after your villa."

"You remember my villa." He sounded pleased. "You were only thirteen when you came to visit. It must have made an impression."

"It was lovely." And it truly had been. Every last detail had been perfect, and I'd dreamed of owning a home like that for many years afterward. Until I had figured out that I didn't want that kind of life.

"Well, a house on the beach in Hawaii would be a nice place to take a vacation, but nothing could beat the beauty of Italy." I hadn't realized that we had been speaking Italian until that sentence, but it didn't surprise me. I spoke Italian fluently and of course he would prefer to speak in his native tongue.

"Italy is a land of great beauty," I agreed.

He nodded to my lap, where my hands were delicately folded. "Congratulations on your engagement. Am I to assume that Commander McGarrett is the lucky groom?" At my surprised look, he said, "He seemed rather concerned with what I would want with you. It was the concern of a love. I assume that he looked me up?"

There was no sense in hiding it; he could find out the truth in a matter of days. "Yes. He proposed a couple of days ago."

"Congratulations." And he sounded like he genuinely meant it. "I do love a good love story. How did you two meet?"

"When I was placed on the task force."

"Ah, love at first sight?"

"No. He hated me at first."

That seemed to surprise him. "Why is that?"

"I had better sources on a couple of cases that we worked. And he couldn't figure me out. My past, I mean."

He nodded. "Understandable. And does he know about your past now?"

"Not all of it. Really not much before I turned eighteen."

"Also understandable." He sighed. "But, if I may, I'd like to offer a small piece of advice." When I didn't object, he continued. "When I married my wife, she knew nothing about the other side of my business. I thought that it was better that way. That she would be safer the less that she knew. I was wrong."

He was suddenly somewhere far away, and I remembered my father telling me that Nicolas' wife had been killed years ago by a rival of the Sicilian Mafia. He'd wanted information that his wife hadn't even had, and he had killed her when she couldn't give it to him. From the little that my father had told me, I knew that Nicolas had made the man pay many times over before he'd granted him the death that he begged for.

" _That is why we do what we do," my father had told me sincerely. "There is a line that one should never cross. Do you understand?"_

"My apologies," Nicolas said and cleared his throat. "It was _not_ safer for her to not know. And I regret that every single day. Perhaps it would be wise for you to confess everything to your fiancé."

"I appreciate the advice," I told him carefully. "But it's just a piece of my past. I'm not involved with that stuff anymore. I haven't been for a long time. I went to the CIA, then the White Collar division of the FBI, then to the State Department, and then the bomb squad. And now, I'm here. And I have no intention of going back to all of that stuff. I'm happy with where I am."

He nodded but said nothing in response.

Within minutes, we were at a high-end seafood restaurant right on the beach and Nicolas offered me his hand to help me step out of the car. I did so, swaying slightly. Concerned, he asked me if I was feeling okay.

"I skipped breakfast," I admitted.

He smiled and gently took my elbow, leading me towards the door. "Ah, then this lunch will do you good."

He gave the hostess his name and we were immediately taken to a table in the back corner and given two menus. A waiter approached almost instantly and asked if we would like to start with a bottle of wine.

"I'm on duty," I said.

"Nonsense," Nicolas returned and looked over the wine list before choosing a rather expensive vintage. The whole bottle, of course.

"I really can't drink," I told him once the waiter had disappeared.

He sighed, but smiled. "Suit yourself. You don't mind if I do, do you?"

"Of course not." I smiled. "You're not under the same restrictions."

The waiter returned with the wine and poured some for Nicolas and then asked us if we were ready to order. Nicolas ordered for the both of us, somehow remembering that I was a sucker for shrimp alfredo. Salads and bread were delivered, and we each served ourselves.

"I must confess, Allie," he said after a few minutes of small talk, "I didn't just come here to catch up."

"I didn't think that you did."

"Of course not." He chuckled. "You've always been exceptionally smart. How could you not be, with parents like yours?"

"So, what did you come here for, then?"

"I need a favor."

That was surprising. "I'm not sure what I could possibly do for you. You know that me and my family have always _respected_ the Sicilian Mafia, but we've never gotten involved."

"That's mostly true," he agreed.

" _Mostly_?" I couldn't recall a single time that I'd done any more than casually spoken to members of the mafia. I drew a blank.

"Your mother," he said, which was the last thing that I had expected to hear.

I pushed some lettuce around in the bowl, my good mood completely shot. "I haven't talked to my mother in years. As I'm sure you know, she left my father and all of us to go and pursue of her dreams of… well… _not_ being a mother."

His expression was one of sympathy, which I almost hated. "I do know. Your father and your family have always been good friends of mine, and he confided in me shortly after your mother left. But you found her again, did you not?"

I wasn't even surprised that he knew. "Yeah. I tracked her down to New York City after the CIA. We didn't talk for long; I just wanted to know why she left. That's when she told me that she had chosen her work over her kids and her family. I haven't talked to her since. I try not to even _think_ about her, to be honest."

"Betrayal by family is hard," he said. "Your mother… I knew her and your uncle very well growing up. Their father was friends with my father."

"I think she told me that, at some point." But I had no idea why he was bringing it up now.

"There was something special that my father owned – a music box. It's priceless and has been passed down in the Medici family for generations."

I was thoroughly confused. "A music box? I thought this was about my mother?"

"It is. She's the one that stole it from me."

I nearly choked on a tomato. Once I had regained my breath and taken a drink of water, I asked, "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Positive. There is footage of her taking it from my private collection not long before she abandoned your family. The _work_ that she left to do was not with art authentication, but art _theft_."

That actually didn't surprise me one bit. "Why would she steal that music box?"

He waved a hand as if it was unimportant. "Perhaps my family didn't come by the music box _honestly_ , but it was still very important to us. And it's worth… more than I can say."

"And… what?" I asked him. "You want me to find her and ask her to give it back? Like I said before, I haven't talked to her in years and I'd really rather not change that."

"Oh, no," he said. "I don't need you to find her and talk to her. I need you to go and get the box back."

"You know where it is?" When he nodded, I grew even more confused. "Then why don't you just go and buy it back? You have all the money in the world. Surely, you could make the owner an offer they can't refuse."

"The _owner_ is the Kingsley Museum in Paris. And the music box is locked away in the archives."

"You don't need me to find the music box," I realized. "You need me to _steal_ it."

"If anyone can, it's you. Your mother would have been a good choice, as well, had she not gone so completely off the grid several years ago."

I shook my head and put the fork down. "Nicolas… I don't do that kind of thing anymore. I told you that."

"Not even as a favor to me?" I couldn't read the expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," I told him and shook my head. "No. I'm sorry that my mother stole it, but I promise you that none of us knew anything about that."

"I believe you," he said. "Let us speak no more of it. We can just enjoy our lunch."

As if on cue, the waiter arrived with our food.

And though Nicolas did, indeed, turn the topic of conversation to something else, I had a feeling that the conversation was actually far from over.


	28. Unshakeable Suspicions

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! The story just keeps winding down and it makes me so sad. Luckily, there will be more to come! If you haven't voted yet on whether I should make a sequel or just add on a part two to this story, please do so by way of review or private message. I'd love to get all of the opinions that I possibly can before I decide, because I'm totally straddling the fence myself.**

 **As always, thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. All of the support has meant so much to me.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Eight: Unshakeable Suspicions_

Steve

Allie had come back from her lunch with Nicolas Medici in high spirits. She'd told me that he was just in town for business for a few days, and he'd wanted to have lunch with her because he was an old friend of her family's. It seemed like there was something that she wasn't telling me, but she didn't seem to be too bothered by it, so I didn't press her for answers. If there was something major going on, she would have told me.

I did put a call in to Interpol, though, and they connected me with Elliot Jonas, the lead on Nicolas Medici's case.

I told him that I knew Medici was on the island, but didn't mention him coming to find Allie. I just asked if we needed to keep an eye on him.

"You're welcome to, but I doubt you'll discover anything," Jonas told me with a sigh. "We've been watching this guy for nearly two decades now, and we've never been able to nail him for anything."

That wasn't encouraging. "Should I be expecting some bodies on my island?" I'd done some research on the Sicilian Mafia, but it hadn't yielded all that much. I was sure that, like any crime family, they would kill if it was necessary.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Jonas said. "From what I know of Nicolas Medici, he operates with a lot of honor. Of all of the things that he's wanted for, murder isn't on the list. Not that he's never _done_ it, we just haven't ever suspected him of it."

Kind of reassuring… but also not. "Well, if anything develops, we'll be sure to let you know."

"I appreciate that, Commander. Enjoy the rest of your day."

"Thank you," I said and ended the call.

So, Medici had honor… but even those with honor could kill, if they felt like it was the right thing to do. Until he was off the island, it was probably best to keep my guard up.

As I sat back in my chair and wondered if there was another avenue that I could pursue to get information, I thought about what Allie had said about Medici. According to her, he'd been a friend of her mother's and she'd known him since her early childhood.

Which meant…

I still had Kol's number from when I'd snuck it from Allie's phone to ask him about marrying her, and I had dialed it within a few seconds. Surely, if Allie knew someone from her childhood, Kol would know the same person just as well. They were twins, after all.

Unfortunately, Kol didn't answer his phone.

"Hey," his voice said when the call rolled to voicemail. "Undoubtedly, I'm doing something awesome and am unable to come to the phone right now. Just leave your name and a short message, and I'll get back to you if I deem it worthy for a call back. Later!"

It beeped.

"Kol," I said. "This is Steve. I, uh… I have a concern about Allie. I think something is going on and I just can't put my finger on it. If you could give me a call back whenever you have a few minutes, maybe you can help clear some of this up. Thanks."

I hung up and put my phone back into my pocket with a sigh. Allie had told me that the lunch was just to catch up with an old friend. I believed her… for the most part. Maybe I was just more curious about why a guy like Nicolas Medici was so far from home.

When I'd asked Allie, she'd just shrugged and said that everyone needed a vacation and he'd never been to Hawaii before. That was sort of understandable, but… why come now? Something inside just told me that something was off. I couldn't shake the feeling. And my gut feelings rarely led me astray.

"Hey." Allie came into my office and smiled as she sat down in the chair across from me. "What are you working on?"

"Eh. Nothing, really," I said and closed my laptop. "What's up?"

"I've been doing some thinking."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh. And?"

"Chin had a point yesterday when he said that this is Hawaii. There are places that can probably throw a wedding together in a few hours."

I wasn't _quite_ sure where she was going with it. "If you don't want to plan a huge wedding, then don't. I'm okay with a small ceremony with only close friends and family. I just need to know a couple of weeks in advance so that I can tell my sister and my aunt. And my former CO." She hadn't met Joe yet, but I knew that they would get along great.

"What about a… _soon_ wedding?" she asked me. "Like… within the next month."

The thought actually made me very happy. "I already know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The sooner that starts, the better. Just let me know what you need me to do."

She grinned and stood. "I'm going to start doing some research, then. We have a lot of stuff to figure out."

"I give you full authority," I told her. "Wedding planning and I probably wouldn't get along very well."

She laughed, rolled her eyes, and asked me if she could go home early.

"Do that," I agreed. "You were tossing and turning all night."

"Sorry," she said, cringing. "Back hurts. I may go see a chiropractor."

"I'll probably be late tonight," I reminded her. "I promised to do a refresher self defense class for HPD."

"Got it." With another quick smile, she was gone.

Allie

I walked out of the last store of the day and stowed my purchases in the passenger seat before I headed home. Once there, I unloaded everything and began to put the groceries away. There were plenty of leftovers for dinner, so I didn't need to get anything ready.

After letting Gideon out to run around for a bit, I went into the living room and pulled my laptop onto my lap, already exhausted. Planning a wedding on such short notice was going to be rough, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I'd worked for the _CIA_ , for God's sake. I could handle anything.

The first thing that I did was pull up a wedding checklist online. It had a list of all of the things that I needed to do, so I began to go over it to see what I could go ahead and check off. I didn't have a location booked yet, but I thought that I would probably do it somewhere close to the beach. It would make for beautiful pictures.

Deciding that was a good place to start, I began to look up all of the places that I could do a beach wedding. There were so many, but the good news was that some of them seemed to specialize in short notice weddings. And, if we got married on a Friday evening, it would be way cheaper than a Saturday or Sunday wedding. Some of the locations even included the officiant in the cost. And even better, a few would set up and clean up for you.

I did a lot of research and wrote down a lot of information, and then I began to grow a little overwhelmed by all of the things that I needed to get done. So, I decided to set wedding planning aside for a while and work on something else. Something that I had decided very recently (as in, the day before). It had been a very hard decision, but I knew that it was the right one.

I had written so many of these letters before but, as I typed my name and other information at the top, I realized that it had never been so hard.

 _Governor Denning:_

 _Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am leaving my position with the Five-O task force on October 13._

 _Thank you for the opportunities you have provided to me during my time with the task force. I am more than grateful to have had the opportunity of working with the team here._

 _If I can be of any assistance during this transition, please let me know._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Allie Rhodes_

I made sure that there was plenty of space for me to sign my name, and then I proofread it. Once I was satisfied, I printed it out and got started on my last official report for the governor. At this point, he knew that Steve and I were engaged, but he had still asked me for the occasional report, just to have another point of view.

I wondered who he was going to ask once I was no longer a member of the task force.

Once I was done, I printed the report and then went to get both papers from the printer. I signed my letter of resignation, put them both into an envelope, and addressed it. I would run it by the post office the next morning.

"It feels like a new beginning," I told Gideon when I let him back into the house.

He ignored me and began to gulp down the water I'd freshened up for him.

"Yeah, you don't care," I sighed. "Do you think you could be the ring bearer at my wedding, though? Steve has the _cutest_ niece and she could probably do the flower girl thing, but you'd be a good ring bearer. Do you think you can handle it?"

He continued to ignore me.

"Fine. Just think about it." I sighed and went back to the living room, determined to make a dent in that checklist.

Once I _had_ made a dent – mostly because I checked off a lot of things that I wouldn't be doing at my wedding – I put the laptop away, deciding that I'd done enough wedding planning for the day. And, there wasn't much more that I could do about it until I had decided on a date and a location. Hopefully, that would happen very soon.

My last task of the day was to wrap the present for Steve. I started with the letter, which I had decided I would write by hand. It was more personal that way, my father had always said. It took me nearly an hour and, once I was done, I got out the box, arranged everything inside just the way that I wanted it, and then taped it closed. Then, I took out the silver wrapping paper that I had picked up along with my groceries.

I'd never been the best at wrapping presents, but when I was done, I thought that it at least looked presentable. A gift bag probably would have been better, but I needed him to see everything in a certain order. Someday, I promised myself, I would spend a whole day learning how to properly wrap a present.

I wrote his name across the top of the box in black Sharpie, and then I stashed the box in my wall safe. There would be no chance that he would be able to try to peek. He wouldn't even know that there _was_ a present for him.

"All done," I told Gideon, proud of myself for all that I had accomplished.

 _And so early_ , I thought as I looked at the clock on the wall.

Deciding that I had time to run by the post office, I picked up the envelope for the governor and asked Gideon, "Do you want to go for a quick ride with me?"

He loved car rides, so of course, he was eager to join me.

"I thought so," I laughed, and followed him to the car.

Steve

I had missed a call from Kol while I'd been teaching at the HPD, and I called him back as I walked out to my truck, hoping that he would answer.

He did. "Hey, future brother-in-law. What's going on? You said you were concerned about Allie or something? Is she getting cold feet?"

"I don't think so," I told him and climbed into my truck. "Actually, she said she wants to get married within the next month. We're together all of the time, anyway, so I guess it makes sense to just go ahead and make it legal."

"Nice!" he said. "So, what's the problem, then?"

I started the truck and began to pull out of the lot, unsure of how to bring it up. "Do you know Nicolas Medici?"

There was silence for a few moments and then he spoke cautiously. "Yeah. He's Italian. Very wealthy. Ties to the Sicilian Mafia. Why?"

"How well do you know him?"

He blew out a long breath. "He was good friends with my parents. We all visited Italy a few times and stayed with him. As far as his business goes, I don't know a whole lot. He comes from family money, obviously, and I know that he has his hand in a lot of different cookie jars."

"What about his Sicilian Mafia connection?" I asked. "What do you know about that?"

"He's an unofficial member. At least, he was unofficial the last time that I checked, which was quite a while ago. Call it a friends with benefits kind of thing. All of the benefits of a relationship without the actual relationship. He does stuff for them, they do stuff for him… but like I said, I don't think he's official. Why are you asking me all of this?"

"Because he showed up yesterday and had lunch with Allie."

"Seriously?" Kol sounded surprised, but not worried, which made me feel a little bit better. Surely, if there was anything to be worried about, Kol would have been panicking. "That's weird."

"Why?" I'd had the same feeling, but I didn't have a reason for my feeling. Maybe Kol would have one.

"He just rarely leaves his home in Italy," Kol said. "He has an empire to run, you know? When he leaves Italy, it's usually because he needs something."

"What could he need from Allie?"

"I have no idea," he said honestly. "Did Allie say anything about it?"

"Just that he was an old friend of your father's here on vacation and they'd just had lunch to catch up."

"He always _did_ have a soft spot for my twin," he said. "It's entirely possible. I've just never known Nicolas Medici to take _vacations_. Who knows, though, maybe he really needed one."

"I just have a bad feeling," I confessed. "And after all of my training and everything that I've been through… I just can't shake it."

"What does Allie say?"

"She says that there's nothing to worry about and I think she really believes that. But maybe she's blinded by her friendship with this guy. And I just… feel like there's something else there."

"I'll come to Hawaii," he said after a few moments. "It's about time for another visit, anyway. Can you come and pick me up at the airport tomorrow?"

"I can," I agreed, "and it would make me feel better to have you here, but what do I tell Allie?"

"Just tell her that you called to talk to me about the wedding and I said that I wanted to come in and help. Trust me, weddings take a lot of planning and she'll be grateful for the help. And while I'm there, I can keep an eye on Nicolas and maybe get Allie to give me a little more detail about their lunch."

That sounded perfect. She always opened up to her twin, and she'd be especially likely to do so about Nicolas, since they both knew him. "Okay. Perfect. Do you know which flight you'll take?"

"I'm looking right now," he said. "And… ah. Perfect. I'll fly in tomorrow night at eight."

"That sounds great. I'll tell Allie when I go over there tonight."

"Cool. And thanks for calling me. Your concern is touching. I knew that I made a good decision when I told you that you could marry my sister."

I rolled my eyes. As if I would have just not asked her to marry me if he'd said no. I had really just called him because I had wanted his opinion on rings, but he had turned it into a me asking for her hand kind of thing, and I had just rolled with it. Especially since he'd said yes. "Yeah, I'm eternally grateful. I'll be waiting at the airport at eight."

"Awesome. I'll call you when I'm coming towards the doors. See you guys tomorrow."

"Bye, Kol." I hung up the phone and let out a breath.

It made me feel better that there would be another person on hand to look after Allie. Something about the way that she'd been acting the last couple of days had just made me feel uneasy. Something was up, even if Allie didn't really know it yet herself. And I was not going to let anything happen to her.

Not ever.

I pulled up to my house and ran inside really quickly to pack a fresh bag, wondering when I would be able to just move all my stuff. Or maybe she would be moving in to _my_ house… Either way, we'd be living together soon.

The thought made me so very happy.

Allie

"Hey," I greeted Steve when he stepped into the shower with me. "How did the class go?"

He kissed me. "It was okay. I swear, the police academy's standards go down every single year."

I laughed and kissed him again before moving so that he could step under the spray. "Not everyone can be a Navy SEAL."

"You don't have to be a Navy SEAL, but some common sense would be nice."

"Yeah, that's not so common anymore." I moved to step out. "I'll let you shower. I need to start drying my hair."

Forty minutes later we were in bed together, breathing heavily. I wiped my hand across my sweaty brow and laughed. "Why do I ever take a shower when I know you're coming home?"

"Beats me," he shrugged. "Speaking of homes… which house are we going to live in?"

That was actually a good question. I hadn't thought about it much. "Um… I don't know. Do you have a vote? I mean, I know that your house has been in your family for generations…"

"I'm not a super sentimental guy," he said. "I mean, maybe I _used_ to be when it came to that house, but your house is much newer and has a few more amenities. It might be better to live here. But do _you_ own the house, or does the governor?"

"It's in my name," I said, and was glad that I'd made that a requirement. "So, if you want to live here, I'm in."

"You have nicer furniture, too," he pointed out. "I'll have to just sell all of mine when I put the house up for sale."

"We can build a nice little savings account," I laughed. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. My father's car will need to go in the shop out back, though. That's nonnegotiable."

I laughed. "It's not like I'm using that shop, anyway. I just store what few tools that I have out there."

"I'm hiring movers," he declared after thinking for a minute. "I don't have the time or the patience to move all of that stuff."

"Whatever you want."

He kissed me and then said, "Oh, yeah. Kol is coming tomorrow."

That surprised me. "Really? He didn't say anything to me."

He shrugged. "I called him and told him that the wedding would be happening sooner than expected, so he wanted to be here to help with whatever you needed. He's a good brother."

"He's not bad," I agreed and smiled. "I can't believe that this is all happening so fast."

"We could wait on the wedding," he teased me. "A few months… maybe a couple of years."

"No way." I moved to straddle his hips, leaning forward to push his arms down to his sides. "You're not getting out of this one, Steve McGarrett."

"I don't _want_ out."

"Good." I leaned in to kiss him and we spent another wonderful night together.


	29. Nothing Lasts Forever

… **..**

 **I'm so sorry, everyone. I got sent on a work conference last minute and couldn't update on Friday like I should have. Don't hate me!**

 **Kol is coming back! Are you guys as excited about that as I am? Because I am super pumped! I absolutely adore Allie's twin brother, and I know that some of you really liked him, too. I hope that you enjoy having him back.**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed (or even all of the above!). And thank you to all of you that have sent me private messages to talk about the story. I appreciate each and every show of support for the story and me.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Nine: Nothing Lasts Forever_

Allie

I had been planning to give Steve his present before he went to pick Kol up from the airport. Had been excited about it all day, in fact. But when you're a part of an elite government task force, things don't always go according to plan. Almost as soon as I'd walked into the office, we'd gotten a call about a brutal murder downtown – guy beat to death in an alley. We'd ended up spending the entire day working the case, and only managed to take down the murderer at a little after seven.

"I'd better get going," Steve told me as he took off his bulletproof vest. "Kol's flight will be landing soon."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I asked him, but my last word ended in a yawn. It had been a very long day and Steve and I hadn't exactly slept much the night before.

He smiled tenderly at me and gave me a quick kiss. "No. Why don't you go home and get some rest? This wedding planning is wearing you out."

"Sounds like a plan." I fought against another yawn. "The good news is that I have it narrowed down to two locations."

"Don't forget to take breaks," he reminded me. "It won't kill us to get married in _two_ months."

"I've got it," I said. "Don't worry. You just go make sure my brother makes it here safely. The guest room is all ready for him. And wake me up when you two get home, okay?"

"Copy that." He leaned in and kissed me again, and then got into his truck and drove away, headed for the airport.

I only stuck around for a few more minutes before I also drove away, headed home.

There was a black limo parked on the curb when I arrived, and I recognized the license plate number as the one from Nicolas Medici's rented limo.

"I'm too tired to deal with this," I groaned to myself, but pasted a smile on my face as I got out of my car and walked towards the limo.

Nicolas got out of the car with his bodyguard and came towards me, greeting me with a kiss on each cheek. "I was hoping that I would catch you before I have to fly out."

Ah. He was going to be leaving and wanted to say goodbye before he left. That explained it; it was just his manners. "I'm glad you found me. I was working a case all day. When do you leave?"

"My private plane is fueling up as we speak," he said. "But I have maybe an hour to kill." Of course he would only fly in his own private plane. He leaned around me to look. "Where is your fiancé?"

"He had to go and pick a friend up from the airport." For some reason, something inside of me told me not to tell him that it was Kol. "Did you want to come in for a few minutes?"

"That sounds lovely," he agreed and motioned for his bodyguard to accompany him.

Once inside, I disarmed the security system and let Gideon – who didn't seem too fond of Nicolas or his bodyguard – outside and then returned to the living room. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink? I don't have any vintage wines here, but there's a pretty good white in the fridge."

"No, thank you," he smiled as he sat down on the loveseat. "Please, sit with me. There is a matter that I wanted to discuss with you."

 _Damn it_. I had really hoped that he would just forget about asking me to steal the music box, but of course, he hadn't. "Sure." I sat. "What is it?"

"It's about the music box." He must have seen the look on my face, because he smiled, amused. "I know what you're thinking. You already told me no. Now, normally, I would respect that. You're not the one that stole it, after all, and it's not your responsibility to get it back. Unfortunately, my efforts to track down your mother have been… _unfruitful_ , to say the least."

I shook my head. "I can't help you find her. I haven't spoken to her in years."

"Oh, I know," he said with a sigh. "She's likely as far off the grid as it's possible to get by now. But that music box… I need it."

Something clicked in my head. "It's more than just a fancy box that plays music, isn't it?"

He smiled and nodded. "You've always been a very smart girl, Isabelle."

I flinched as if the name was a punch to my face. "Please don't call me that. I haven't been Isabelle Rinaldi in a very long time."

"My apologies," he said, though he didn't sound all that sorry. "Yes, the music box is more than just a piece of art or entertainment. Inside, there is a code. I need that code to access an account that my great grandfather set up."

"An account?"

"An account worth billions."

"Don't you already _have_ billions?" I reminded him. "You're Italy's richest man."

"Yes, but I don't have the lands that this would offer me. The secrets. The money is really just a bonus."

I nodded slowly. "That may be so, but… I don't steal things anymore. I got out of that life when I turned eighteen and I haven't looked back."

"Don't you miss it?" he asked me, leaning forward slightly, his look intense. "The thrill of it all? You were the _best_ , and _everyone_ knew it. You could have done anything that you wanted. Instead, you decided to work for the CIA."

I shook my head. "There wasn't anything for me in that life anymore."

"Of course there was!" he argued. "People would have paid you so well to steal things for them. You were a rising star! And then you just… disappeared."

"I didn't _disappear_." I had to be careful to keep the anger out of my voice. "I left that lifestyle _because_ I was good. Because I didn't want to end up like my mother, willing to abandon my family to go off and _con people_. I never wanted to end up like her."

"You never will," he assured me. "You hold family above all else, and I respect that. Unfortunately, I must also use that to my advantage, if I am to gain what's rightfully mine."

An awful feeling settled in my chest. "What are you talking about?"

He gestured to his bodyguard, who handed him a tablet of some kind. After pressing a few things, Nicolas handed it to me and my whole body froze.

It was a live video feed. In it, a man paced a small room that looked very similar to a prison cell. His hair was a little longer than it had been the last time I'd seen him, but I would have recognized my brother anywhere.

"Trent."

"It became clear to me that you wouldn't help me unless you had a good reason to," Nicolas said. "Now, normally I wouldn't force you to clean up someone else's mess, but I fear you're the only one that can do this job. I'll give you whatever you need, of course, and I promise that no harm will come to your brother if you can pull this off."

My head was spinning and my hands shook as I handed him the tablet. "Where is he?"

"Safe at one of my estates. You may see him in person, of course, before you begin this job. I'm not a malicious man, _passerotta_. You know this. But I _do_ have to do things sometimes in order to get the job done."

"I would need a team," I said softly as a plan began to hatch. "My other brothers-"

"No." He cut me off. "I'm afraid that I must insist that they be kept out of this. You must not have communication with them or with any of your other _friends_. I can provide as many people as you need for the job, as well as unlimited resources."

 _This can't be happening_. "I have to… I have to explain…"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid that I can't allow that. Now, what time will Steve McGarrett be returning here?"

"Probably at about 8:45."

He glanced at his watch. "Then that leaves you twenty minutes to pack what you need. Lorenzo will watch you, just to make sure there's no funny business. You understand."

"They'll wonder where I am."

"I know," he said. "But by the time they're able to find you, you'll have hopefully recovered the music box and you'll be able to tell them whatever you want. May I have your phone, please?" Using his best manners, even when I really had no choice.

I handed it over as I stood, legs a little shaky.

"My driver will be waiting by the door to load everything for you. The dog will need to stay here, I'm afraid. I can't have him attacking any of my men. I'm sure your fiancé will take care of him for you."

Without another word to him, I headed for the stairs, Lorenzo following closely behind. My head was still spinning and I tried desperately to clear it, knowing that I just needed to focus on packing. Nicolas wasn't likely to hurt me and he wouldn't hurt Trent, either… unless I couldn't get the music box.

It had been years since I'd pulled that kind of job… what if I couldn't do it anymore?

Pushing the thoughts away, I grabbed a large suitcase out of my closet and began to pack clothes and shoes into it. As I did, I was trying to think of a way to signal Kol and explain. But Lorenzo was watching me so closely and Nicolas had already taken my phone so that it couldn't be traced.

I finished with that large suitcase and filled a small duffel bag with all of the toiletries from my bathroom that I thought I might need. That's when inspiration struck and I carefully lifted the corner of the rug, drawing in lipstick with one hand while I continued to pack with the other. Once I was satisfied, I put the rug back into place and zipped up the duffel bag.

"You have ten minutes," Lorenzo informed me in Italian, and I nodded my understanding. I had one more, medium-sized, duffel bag left, and I began to fill it up with some of the more sentimental things. They would all be checked for tracking devices, so I knew that I couldn't take the watch that Kol had given me.

Once I was finished there, I said, "I just need to empty the safe."

Lorenzo nodded and carried the bags down the stairs for me, following me into the dining room, where my wall safe hid behind a painting. I entered the code and then grabbed everything that I would need, leaving only the present for Steve and the cash, as Nicolas would provide all of the money that I needed. He could spare it.

"That's it," I concluded, and Lorenzo led the way back into the living room, alerting Nicolas that we were packed and ready to go.

"Excellent," he said with a smile and gestured for me to precede him out the door.

Once in his limo, driving away, I knew that there was one more thing that Nicolas needed to know. He was a man with a strict code, and at the top of that code was one rule he would _never_ break.

"There's something you should know," I told him.

He looked at me and nodded. "And what might that be?"

With a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, I spilled my biggest secret.

Steve

Kol and I kept an easy conversation going on the way home from the airport. Towards the end of the ride, he asked me if I'd heard anything else about Nicolas Medici.

"No," I said. "He hasn't come around again. Maybe I was wrong and there's nothing going on."

He shrugged. "Entirely possible. Either way, it's good to be here. I needed a vacation and I'm excited that I get to help with the wedding. I never thought she'd get married."

"Why's that?"

Again, he shrugged. "She always said that she didn't want to get married and she didn't want kids. I guess things change when you actually fall in love with someone. I'm glad that she found you. You two are good for each other."

"I think so, too. I'm excited to be married. Which is not something I would have said a year ago, believe me."

He laughed. "Love does crazy things. So, why didn't she join you to come pick me up? She's not excited to see me? Or is she just making my favorite pastry?"

"Neither," I laughed. "It was a long day for all of us. I told her to go home and get some rest. The wedding planning is kind of wearing her down."

"It's a lot to take on," he agreed. "But that's why I'm here. While you guys are working, I can make all the calls, set up all of the appointments… it'll be perfect. I'm a good point man, trust me."

"And if we need a getaway driver, we're all set," I teased him.

"Exactly. I'm a man of many talents."

We arrived at Allie's house – soon to be my house as well – and I parked in the driveway. When we walked inside, I went to disarm the alarm and then realized that Allie had disarmed it when she got home and forgot to set it back up.

"See what I mean?" I asked him, indicating the alarm. "She keeps forgetting little things like this. I told her we could wait an extra month, but she insists that she doesn't want to."

He laughed and looked around. "Where's Gideon?"

"Maybe upstairs with her. She said to wake her up when we got here. Give me a few minutes."

"Take your time," he teased me as I began to climb the stairs. "I'll just be down here with my headphones in so that I don't have to listen to the two of you."

"Shut up," I laughed and finished my climb.

But as soon as I entered the bedroom and turned on the lights, I realized that something was very, very wrong. All of her dresser drawers were pulled out, and there were a lot of things missing. The closet door was open, and there were a lot of clothes missing from in there, too. And her suitcases were gone.

I stumbled into the bathroom and began opening drawers, realizing that most of her things were missing. Back in the bedroom, I saw that all of her favorite books and pictures were also gone. She was just… gone.

"Kol!" I called out.

He must have heard the panic in my voice, because he raced up the stairs at a sprint. When he came into the bedroom, he looked around and must have realized the same thing that I had. "She's gone."

"Where would she go?" I asked him desperately, wanting someone to have some answers. "She didn't say anything about going anywhere." I pulled out my phone and scrolled for her name.

"Don't bother," he told me and began to walk around the room, looking at everything closely. "Her cell phone is downstairs on the coffee table. I figured that she just left it there while she came upstairs for a nap."

Cursing, I put my cell phone away and began to follow behind him, also looking. "What are you looking for?"

"Clues." He picked up her watch from the bedside table and cursed. "This is traceable, but she's not wearing it, which tells me that she _couldn't_."

"Meaning what?" My head was spinning too fast for me to puzzle out what he was saying.

He straightened and set the watch down. "I don't think that she left on her own. I think that she left by force."

"Nicolas Medici," I realized.

"I think so," Kol nodded. "Look for anything else out of the ordinary. We were all trained to leave clues and she knew that I was coming. If anything seems even _slightly_ wrong, tell me."

We looked in silence, but I feared that I wasn't going to be much help. I had _known_ that Nicolas Medici was bad news, and I hadn't kept a close enough eye on her. She'd offered to go to the airport with me and I had sent her home instead. What had happened once she'd gotten here? Had they hurt her?

"Hey," Kol finally said once he'd noticed my preoccupation. "Splash some water on your face. It's going to be okay. Nicolas Medici doesn't hurt women."

"Then why would she go with him?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "That's why we're looking for clues. Just go take a minute to calm down, okay? You need a clear head for this."

I nodded and went into the bathroom, headed for the sink. I splashed some water on my face and was stepping away from the sink when I noticed that something was off. It was subtle, but… the rug was pulled slightly away from the cabinet. It was usually flush against it.

I ripped the rug away and saw something written there in lipstick.

 _Trent_.

"Kol!" I called, and he came running in.

"What?" And then he saw it and knelt down. "Trent? That's one of our brothers." He took out his cell phone. "I'll call him and see if he knows what's going on."

But after he'd tried Trent four times, he cursed and said, "I'm not getting an answer. It keeps going straight to voicemail."

"Could that be it?" I wondered aloud. "Trent is in trouble and she went to help?"

"It would explain a lot," he said with a sigh. "And if this is connected to Medici…"

"I thought you said he was an honorable man."

"Honor can be interpreted in a lot of different ways," he said. "He wouldn't hurt Allie because he doesn't hurt women, but… if he felt like he needed to, he might hurt Trent."

"And Allie wouldn't let that happen," I finished. "But why wouldn't she try to let us know?"

"Probably came as a surprise," he said and started dialing another number on his cell phone. "I'm going to call some other people. We're going to need help on this. Go see if Gideon is still here somewhere."

I nodded as he began to speak to someone, and headed down the stairs. Gideon was whining at the back door, and I let him in. He immediately began to run around, likely looking for Allie.

My heart broke for him.

Shaky, I sat down at the kitchen table. She was gone – had practically been taken – and it was all my fault. I should have just let her come with me to the airport like she'd offered to do. Or I should have made sure that she had made it home safe. Should have called her. Should have had someone tail Nicolas Medici.

Kol came back downstairs a few minutes later and fed Gideon before coming to put a hand on my shoulder. "I have people on the way. We're going to find her."

I nodded weakly.

"It's not your fault," he said, guessing the direction of my thoughts. "I'm going to check the wall safe and see what she took, okay?"

I nodded and watched him take down the painting from the wall. There was a safe embedded there, and he entered a very lengthy code before it clicked and allowed him access.

He opened it and looked around inside. "The only things in here are a present and her emergency cash. Obviously, she's with Medici, doing something for him. He would have offered to fund the whole thing, so she didn't need her cash." He took a wrapped box out of the safe. "And the present is for you."

"Me?" I asked, surprised. "My birthday already passed and Christmas isn't for a while."

He shrugged and handed it to me. "Maybe it's a wedding present or something. Go ahead and open it."

I took a breath and then tore the paper.


	30. Truths and Reunions

… **..**

 **Well… it's been quite a long ride. I was so sad writing this chapter, but I hope that you all enjoy it. Rest assured, Steve and Allie's story is NOT over. This is just the end of part one. After collecting everyone's votes, I have decided to just attach a part two to this same story to make it easier on everyone. I will, however, be taking a small hiatus of a few weeks before I post the beginning of part two, just to make sure that everyone has a chance to catch up.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following, or private messaging. I so appreciate each and every single show of support that I received for this story. It was more than I ever imaged it would be, and I have all of you to thank for that.**

 **Thanks for joining me on this journey.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Thirty: Truths and Reunions_

Steve

"It's a letter," I said in surprise once I got the box open and took out the envelope inside. There was another, smaller envelope beneath it. "Two letters, actually."

One of the envelopes said: _Read first._ So, I tore it open and pulled out the sheets of paper inside. After a shaky breath, I began to read.

 _Steve,_

 _Marriage is the most significant relationship that a person can have, because it's a choice to share everything about your life with another person. You choose to share a home, a bank account, a family. If you get into a terrible car accident or have any accident that renders you unable to make medical decisions for yourself, they turn to your spouse to make those decisions. If you die, they contact your spouse first. It's a very intimate, very serious relationship. A commitment to spend the rest of your life with one person… Through the worst illnesses and the days when you feel like you could run a thousand miles. Through the times where you laugh together in bed all day and the days when you just want to kill each other. And through every time in between._

 _I never wanted that. Growing up, I didn't exactly have the best example of marriage. None of the adults around me were married – or the ones that were had already gotten a divorce or were headed that way – except for my parents, and you know how that turned out. I didn't hold a high opinion of marriage and I decided when I was fourteen that I was never going to get married. Fall in love, maybe. But never marriage. Maybe that's why I felt like my relationship with Ari was so perfect – we could never go and get married._

 _And then you came along and ruined everything._

 _I didn't have much of an opinion of you at first… I knew that you'd been a Navy SEAL and a member of Naval Intelligence. I knew that the governor had offered you the job running the Five-O task force and you took your job very seriously. I even knew about your mother's death and your father's murder. What I didn't know was how disarming you would be. Every time that I thought I had you figured out, you'd go and surprise me – whether it was by taking me to get shaved ice when I was sad or not reprimanding me when I roundhouse kicked that creepy pedophile._

 _I fell in love with you so quickly that I scared myself, and I considered leaving a million times. I'd fallen in love once before – with Ari – and I'd been a mess after it ended in his death. But one night, I realized something very important… good things end, sometimes. Good people get hurt and bad people walk free, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us can give up. No one knows how much time they have on this earth. So, we have to make the most of each day._

 _I want to do that with you. I want to wake up next to you each morning and eat breakfast together, even if it's just a granola bar on the way in to work. I want to eat dinner with you and talk about our days. I want to know that even on my very worst days, you're going to be there beside me and we can weather the storm together. I've never wanted all of that with someone before. And then you came along and I want all of that. I want everything that you can give me._

 _But, first… I need to give you more._

 _Marriage is based on trust, which stems from honesty. I've kept the first eighteen years of my life mostly hidden from you. Perhaps I've been afraid of what you might think or perhaps I was just too ashamed of it to talk about it, but I've come to realize that it's something you need to know. It's an important part of my history, and you deserve to know everything._

 _So, here it goes:_

 _Before I turned eighteen, my name was Isabelle Rinaldi. I changed it at the age of eighteen, when I joined the CIA for a deal: they would change my name and erase all record of me before the age of eighteen. Because before I was eighteen… I was on an Interpol watchlist._

 _I grew up in a family of con artists._

 _White Collar type stuff, mind you. Never anything violent. But still crimes. Art forgery and art theft, mostly. I, in particular, was very good at the theft part. I had garnered quite a reputation in the con world by the time that I was fifteen – everyone said that I had a bright future ahead of me. And then, one day, I was approached by a recruiter from the CIA. They needed people with my skill set, and they asked me to join. It was a defining moment in my life._

 _I realized that I could do positive things – steal important information from terrorists, drug cartels, and the suchlike – instead of the things that I had been doing. The things that I had been trained to do for my entire life. And though no one in my family could understand why I was doing it, I gave up the life I'd been living. I buried Isabelle Rinaldi and became Allie Rhodes._

 _I understand that I'll always have the past that I have. I'll always be the girl that swiped an original Van Gogh right out from under the FBI's nose. I'll always know how to pick locks and pockets. I'll always have connections to that world, because I have friends and family that still live in it. But, I promise you, I buried Isabelle Rinaldi for good the same day that I joined the CIA. I haven't stolen anything since then, and I don't intend to. Allie Rhodes is not that kind of person._

 _I can understand if it's a lot to take in. I can even understand if you need a little time away from me to absorb all of this and figure out if you're okay with it or not. And I really hope you are, because I really want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I want that to start as soon as possible._

 _My mother was a very big part of my life. She taught all of her children everything that she knew about art, and I used to stay up way past my bedtime to watch her as she painted in her studio. I thought that she was the most beautiful, and the most brilliant woman in the world. She encouraged me to chase my dreams. To show all of the men out there that it's actually women that run the world. I wanted so badly to make her proud._

 _And then she just disappeared. My heart was broken. And when I found her all of those years later and she told me that she'd left because her work was more important than her children, my heart shattered. We should have been everything to her. She carried us inside of her own body and raised us to teenagers… and then she just left._

 _I decided after that talk that I never wanted to be a mother. People had always told me that I was more like my mother than any of my siblings, and I was afraid that it would carry over into motherhood. I was afraid that I would have children and discover that they didn't mean as much to me as they should. The thought terrified me._

 _But it doesn't anymore._

 _Before you start on the next sheet, open the other envelope._

I set the stack of papers aside and picked up the other envelope, sliding my finger beneath the flap to open it. Then, I reached inside and felt smooth, glossy paper.

 _A photo, maybe_? I thought, and then I pulled it out.

My heart stopped as I stared at the single black and gray image. A field of gray, with a black hole in the middle. And in that hole was a gray shape with helpful white lettering that read: _Head_.

At the bottom was the pattern of the heartbeat.

My baby's heartbeat.

Tears fell from my eyes as I checked the date in the top left corner of the ultrasound picture. The date was from the day that Nicolas Medici had come to find her. She hadn't been getting a physical that morning… she'd been confirming a pregnancy.

And according to the ultrasound, she'd been 8 weeks along.

When I went to pick up her letter again, I noticed that my hands were shaking, and no effort that I made could steady them. More tears fell as I began to read from where I had left off.

 _Surprise! You're going to be a father!_

 _I know that it's a lot to take in. We definitely didn't plan it. When I first suspected, I tried to just put it out of my mind. And when I took a pregnancy test that came back positive, I thought that I was going to faint. My last hope was that I would get to the doctor's office and he would tell me that it had been a false positive. But he didn't. Instead, he did an ultrasound to get accurate dating. And when I saw that little baby…_

 _I cried. A lot. I cried because this is the most miraculous thing in the world, that a baby can grow inside of me. Because I get to share this little life with you, and I'm so excited to get to watch you be a father. I cried because this is terrifying; I didn't exactly have the best example of a mother in my later years. Because I don't have even the slightest idea how to take care of a baby. Disarm a bomb? Sure. Break into a heavily guarded art museum and steal a valuable painting? No problem. Take care of a helpless human? Sorry._

 _I know that you must be feeling a thousand different things, too. But I hope that ultimately, you're happy. I know that I am. I can't wait to meet our son or daughter. I can't wait to finally hold that sweet baby in my arms. I can't wait to watch you get to be a father, and I know that you're going to be amazing. Probably a bit overprotective, but that's a dad's job, right? You're going to be amazing. And the best part is that we get to do it together. As one big, happy family. Who knows… maybe we'll even have a few more babies down the road._

 _When you're ready, let's talk about this and figure it out. All of it. Where we want to set up baby registries, which hospital we want to deliver at, possible baby names… There's so much to do in the next few months. But if you're ready, then so am I. Because we can do absolutely anything together._

 _I love you, Steve McGarrett. And I love our baby even more._

 _I can't wait to have you both in my life for as long as I get to live on this earth._

 _With all my heart,_

 _Allie_

"Steve?"

I looked up to see Kol standing on the other side of the table, looking at me with concern.

"Steve?" he asked again. "Are you okay?"

"She's pregnant," I said softly.

All of the color drained from his face. "What?"

I offered him the ultrasound picture, watching as it shook in my hand. "She's pregnant. And she's gone."

He took the picture, looked it over, and cursed. "We'll get her back. We'll get both of them back."

But I could only sit there and cry.

 _Hours later…_

I wasn't sure how much time had passed when someone knocked on the door. Kol left me sitting on the couch and went to answer it, and I looked up to see Five-O walking in, all of them looking alert and concerned.

"I called them," Kol said to my questioning look. "My people won't start getting here for another few hours."

I nodded, watching as they sat down, Danny beside me on the couch and Chin and Kono on the loveseat. Kol asked if anyone needed anything – likely taking over the host duties since Allie was gone – but everyone said no. He nodded, said that he'd be upstairs making some calls, and then disappeared.

No one said anything for several long minutes.

Finally, it was Danny that broke the silence. "You want to… tell us what happened?"

"Didn't Kol tell you?" I was surprised at how raw my voice sounded.

"He just said that Allie was gone and you needed us. He said you'd fill us in when we got here," Kono said. "Where is she?"

"He took her." I cleared my throat. "Medici took her. We think that he is holding one of her brothers until she does something for him."

"Until she does what, exactly?" Danny asked. "What could she possibly do for him? Build a bomb? Connect him with someone to make a fake ID?"

"She's actually more talented than we ever realized," I said, and I began to explain the letter. That before she'd become Allie Rhodes, she had actually been a part of a family of con artists, and she'd been one of the best. Kol had backed all of that up, not that I had ever doubted it.

They were surprised, to say the least, and they had about a hundred questions. I answered them all as best I could and then said, "There's something else, though."

"On top of the fact that she was a career criminal before turning over a new leaf?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow. "This should be good."

"She was a _white collar_ criminal, Danny," Kono said defensively. "It's what she grew up doing. At least she really did turn over a new leaf and start helping catch these people."

Danny mulled that over for a few moments and then nodded, conceding. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry. I just… it surprised me." He looked at me very seriously. "You know I'm here for you, buddy. And for Allie. You're both family to me."

"There's one more," I said, and my voice cracked.

In confusion, he asked me, "What do you mean? What are you talking about? One more what?"

"One more member of the family." From the pocket of my shirt, I withdrew the ultrasound picture and handed it to Danny. His eyes widened in recognition and he looked up at me.

"Allie's pregnant?" he asked me, even though he was holding all of the evidence in his hand.

"A little over eight weeks," I nodded. "She just found out a few days ago. The day that Medici came to the office looking for her, actually. She wrote me a letter and put that and the ultrasound picture in a present. I think she was going to give it to me tonight."

Danny handed me the picture. "I'm so sorry, buddy."

"Are they in any danger?" Chin asked me. "Don't guys like Medici have a code about hurting women and children?"

"Kol says that he does," I agreed. "That's why he needed her brother for leverage. But Kol also thinks that he needs her to break in somewhere and steal something. And because he wants _her_ , specifically, it has to be a hard job. Maybe even a dangerous one."

"We'll help you find her," Kono said fiercely, and the look in her eyes told me that Allie was her family, and she was going to do everything she could to protect her family. The rest of the team had that same look in their eyes.

"Kol called some people," I said. "People from their world, I think. He said they should start arriving soon."

"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" Chin asked me. "I think we all should."

"No," I shook my head. "I can't."

Danny was the voice of reason. "I know that you feel like you shouldn't be sleeping right now, but there's really nothing to do yet. Once everyone is here and ready to start formulating a plan, we'll come and get you, okay? But for now, the best thing that you can do is be well rested."

I nodded and stood. "Okay, I… there is a guest room on this floor and a guest room upstairs. Or someone can sleep on the couch…"

"They'll be fine, Steve," Danny assured me and pushed me gently towards the stairs. "Go get some sleep, okay?"

I didn't think that it would be possible – especially sleeping in the bed I usually shared with Allie – but it took me less than a minute to fall asleep.

 _Hours later…_

I wasn't sure how long I slept for, but I felt relatively rested when Danny shook me awake. The grogginess disappeared as soon as I sat up and I took the bottle of water that Danny offered me.

"There are a lot of people here," he said as I took a long drink. "Seems that this con community is quite tight knit. I think they're ready to start talking about strategy. Kol said I should probably come and get you."

I nodded and stood up. "Let me splash some water on my face and I'll be right down."

He nodded and went back downstairs while I went into the bathroom and spent a few minutes cleaning myself up and getting myself together. Of course I was afraid for Allie and our baby, but the best thing that I could do for them was to stay strong and participate in this plan. They needed me at my best, and that's what I was going to give them.

Once I was ready, I went downstairs and was surprised to see all of the people there. Danny had said that several people had turned up, but there were fifteen people there in total, including Kol and Five-O. The furniture had been pushed back against the wall and chairs had been brought in from the garage. A couple of people with laptops sat at the kitchen table, typing furiously.

The people were of all varieties – men and women, tall and short, old and young. And all of them had expressions ranging from concerned to determined. These seemed like the kind of people that I wanted on our side.

When Kol saw me, he came forward and told me that a couple of the women had cooked a large batch of pancakes for everybody. I wanted to tell him that I didn't need anything to eat, but I knew that wasn't true. I needed to be at my best to be of any use to anyone. So, I filled up a plate and began to eat as Kol took me around and introduced everyone, along with their talent.

The hackers, the forgers, the language experts… there were so many different talents among them. Allie's other two brothers – Max and Michael – were there as well. As Kol was about to start, Michael asked Kol a question in a language that I didn't recognize.

Kol shook his head. "I tried, but I don't think he's coming. We should get started. Steve? Why don't you go sit by your team?"

I set my plate aside and went to do as he'd asked, sitting between Danny and Chin.

"Okay, everyone," Kol said. "I think we should get started."

But as he began, the front door opened and two men stepped inside.

They were both older, and dressed casually in jeans and Oxford shirts. Their hair was salt and pepper, faces clean shaven, and eyes dark. And there was something about them… something that I couldn't put my finger on.

"Uncle Edward," Kol said to the one that stepped forward first. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," he said and sat down next to an older woman, who greeted him warmly.

Kol then turned to face the other man, a million different expressions on his face. "Dad."

Allie's father nodded solemnly. "Son. What's the plan?"

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Kol's mouth. "I was hoping you could help with that."

He nodded and stepped into the middle of the room. "Let's get started, then."

 _ **End Part One**_


	31. Upside Down and Inside Out

… **..**

 **Welcome back to the story! I hope you're as excited as I am that it's back up and running. I, for one, am really glad that Steve and Allie's story didn't end the way that it did in part one. I'm also very glad and thankful that you've decided to stick with me for who knows how many more chapters. You guys have given me some great reviews, and I hope that will continue. Also, thank you to those of you that have read, favorited, and followed.**

 **As one huge thank you to my faithful readers, I want to put something huge up to vote. By now, you all know that Allie is, indeed, pregnant. So… should the baby be a boy or a girl? Leave a review with your vote, or private message me. I won't need to know until a little later, but I think I'll go ahead and say that all votes need to be in by chapter five. So, feel free to think about it, but don't think too long! I look forward to seeing how it turns out!**

 **As a reminder to everyone, I only use the characters and the premise of the show. I do not use the storyline. So, if something happens that is WAY off from what happened in the show, just know that it's because I took some artistic license. Thanks in advance for your understanding.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _ **Boundless as the Sea – Part Two**_

 _Chapter One: Upside Down and Inside Out_

Steve

Watching Allie's father as he took complete charge of the situation was quite an experience for me. In my time with Allie, she had talked about her father only a handful of times and I had developed a picture in my head of what he'd be like. Some of it had been spot on, some of it had been entirely wrong.

He was a relatively tall man, probably six feet or slightly under, but the way that he carried himself made him seem even taller. He was dressed in nice jeans and a red tee, along with casual tennis shoes. His salt and pepper hair was styled smoothly and his facial features reminded me a lot of Allie and Kol's. His voice was commanding and I couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever served – then I figured that was doubtful, considering his choice of… career.

There were no leads on where Allie could be and none of her aliases had popped up in any airport or port anywhere.

"Medici has a private plane," Allie's uncle, Edward, said. He was very similar to Allie's father, though he may have been a bit closer to her. She had mentioned her uncle many times in passing, and had called him a few times to consult on a case. "And enough money – and influence – to silence anyone that would dare ask questions."

"Is there a way to track that flight?"

"There _would_ be," one of the hackers spoke up from where he sat on the floor off to the side, still typing furiously on a laptop. "If we knew anything about his plane. Unfortunately, there have been several flights to Italy by private planes in the last twenty-four hours."

"Are we sure Italy is where they're going?" Danny spoke up.

Allie's father seemed surprised that he would speak up, but recovered quickly. "We have no way of knowing what Medici wants from Allie. Until we do, Italy is our best bet. It's his home and where he spends ninety-eight percent of his time."

"He's always been a recluse," Edward sighed.

"Okay," I said slowly. "So, we use that to our advantage, right? I mean, how many estates can he have in Italy?"

"That we _know of_?" the same hacker asked. "He has four apartments and five villas."

"But I doubt that he's going to broadcast that Trent and Allie are there," Allie's father said. "And we have no way of getting inside. He would know that we're coming."

"They're likely in a secret room, anyway," her uncle said.

"Isn't that kind of what you guys _do_?" Danny asked, his gaze sweeping across all of the people gathered in the room. "Find secret rooms and… take things?"

I tensed, but no one seemed bothered by his statement. In fact, several people smiled like they wanted to laugh. Like he was a sweet little child that was talking about something that he simply didn't understand.

"Sure," Allie's uncle finally said as he unwrapped some kind of candy. "I can think of at least thirteen different ways to get into someone's home and check for secret rooms. But it's an entirely new game when that person knows that you're coming. Right now, there's no way that Medici is going to let any of Allie's friends or family near her. That's why we're running into such a problem."

"Then what do we _do_?" I asked, and I knew that I sounded desperate. But I didn't care. My fiancée and my child had been taken from me against their will, and I would do anything to get them back. I would take down anyone, team up with anyone, go anywhere, commit any crime, and call in every favor that I had. I just needed them back here with me.

Allie's dad's expression was unreadable as he stared at me for several long moments. Finally, he said, "For now, we remain here. We put in calls with every single one of our contacts, telling them to be on the lookout for Allie and Medici."

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," I pointed out. "Do you have any idea how many people there are in the world?"

"No, but I'm sure I could Google it," Allie's dad replied evenly. "Hackers, I want you hacking every camera near all of Medici's properties, not just the ones in Italy. Put Allie up for an alert on facial recognition. Someone needs to be monitoring that at all times."

The hackers all nodded and moved off to set up their station at the kitchen table. There were laptops and extra screens and cables and electrical things that were complete mysteries to me.

"Everyone else, start putting in calls with your contacts," Allie's dad continued, and all around the room, cell phones were withdrawn and people began to move to all areas of the house and even outside so that they could make their calls.

"And you." Allie's father pointed to me and then beckoned for me to follow him up the stairs. "With me."

The team gave me a questioning look, but I just shrugged and followed him up the stairs and into Allie's room. He shut the door and then turned to face me. "Take a seat, son."

Something about him giving me an order grated on my nerves, and my stubborn side came out. "I'll stand."

He shrugged and moved for the wingback chair in the corner, next to the dresser. "Suit yourself. But you look like you're about to pass out."

I'd eaten, but not nearly enough. And I knew that I had slept, but I didn't feel as refreshed as I should have. Worry could take a toll on the body.

"I'm fine," I said, but slowly sank down onto the bed. It was kind of an odd situation, sitting in the room with Allie's father. I hadn't thought that I would ever meet him after she'd told me that she didn't think they would ever be close again.

He stared hard at me, studying me, and I did my best not to squirm. He was a very observant man; he'd been trained – not in the way that I had, but perhaps just as intensely. It was like he could see through me, to all of my mistakes and flaws. It made me want to flee the room or cover myself.

I did neither.

Finally, he spoke. "So… you're the man that's going to marry my daughter. And, I hear that you're the father of my first grandchild."

"I see we're not going to be starting with the easy stuff."

"What, like your name and your entire life's story?" He shook his head. "No. Did you know that she was pregnant?"

"Not until after she was gone. She was planning to give me a present… it had a letter in it. And the ultrasound picture. She wanted to tell me about her life before the CIA and how excited she was…" I had to clear my throat. "To be a mother."

I couldn't read the expression on his face – he was likely very practiced with concealing his emotions – but it seemed almost like sadness. "I'm glad. And you? Are you excited?"

"I'm scared." I didn't know why I admitted it to him, but it was the truth.

But there was no judgment on his face. Instead, he just nodded, "I was terrified with each and every one of my kids. Babies are a huge responsibility and mothers… they have this natural bond and connection with the children that we just can't. I promise, it all goes away the second you hold them in your arms. It comes back, but you learn to deal with it."

"Did you ever have to start by having your developing child taken away from you?"

There was a twinge in the corner of his mouth. "No. Nothing quite that drastic. But your child is going to be just fine; Medici has a code. He doesn't hurt women, and he _certainly_ doesn't hurt children. Allie would know that, and she's likely already told him that she's pregnant. He'll make sure she's taken care of."

"That's not exactly comforting, considering he's the one that took her."

"Understandable." He sighed and ran a hand over his face wearily. "But I promise, we're all throwing everything that we have into this."

There were a hundred things that I could have asked him, but what came out was, "Why are you here? From what Allie has told me, you two haven't exactly had a relationship lately."

He didn't even hesitate. "No, we haven't. I call her every year on her birthday and she sends me a text for mine, but that's been it ever since she joined the CIA. We had a big fight when she first told me what she was going to do. It was bad. Afterwards, I needed time to cool off and I assumed that she did, too. But we just… never got around to fixing it. I have regretted that every day, and even more so now. But as soon as Kol called and told me what happened, I called Edward and had him pick me up on his way here."

"I'll take all of the help I can get," I said. "But I have no idea how Allie is going to feel about it."

"You can't speak for her," he agreed. "I'm just glad I have your support." He stood and gave me a small smile. "Get some more rest, okay? You look run down, and you're no good to anyone like that. I'll have Kol come wake you if there's any news."

I wanted to say no, but I suddenly felt very, _very_ tired. So, I nodded and adjusted myself on the bed as he left the room, closing the door securely behind him.

I was asleep in seconds.

Allie

"Ms. Rhodes."

I opened my eyes and felt groggier than I'd felt in a very long time. Looking around, I remembered that I'd been on Medici's private plane, flying across the Atlantic.

Medici himself stood above me, and it must have been him that shook me awake. "Good morning," he said with a smile, as if we were just old friends on a vacation together. "It's a good thing that you slept when you did. It'll make adjusting to the time change much easier. Shall we?"

I stood, stretched, and then followed him off of the plane, where a nice black car was waiting for us. I had no idea which country we were in, but I assumed that it was Italy. Medici had a fondness for his own country.

The car drove through the countryside for a while and then hit the city, and my eyes widened as I realized that I wasn't where I'd thought we were. I'd been to this city many times – in both my childhood and adulthood – and I would have recognized it from any angle.

"This is Paris," I said as we passed by one of my favorite coffeeshops. I looked to Medici. "I thought we were going to Italy."

"It's never good to assume anything," he told me. "Isn't that one of the first rules of con artists?"

"No. The first rule is 'wear sunscreen in Latin America'."

If he didn't appreciate my sarcasm, he gave no indication. "We'll be there in about an hour."

I settled back into my seat and continued to stare out the window. On the other side, people were walking into shops, drinking coffee… completely unaware that my life had changed. And they would likely _never_ know.

"You'll be happy to know that I've arranged for an OB/GYN to see you," he told me after a few minutes of silence. "He's the best in France, I'm told. One of my men will escort you to and from every appointment."

 _Only to make sure that I don't try to run_ , I thought miserably. He had already informed me that he would be watching my cell phone activity very closely. "How generous." I didn't even bother to sound nice. Manners had gone out the window the second that he had kidnapped my brother to use against me.

He didn't seem to mind. "Think nothing of it. Children are the future of the world. We must do everything we can to protect them."

I looked out the window again and wondered what Steve was doing. Likely trying to find me. Hopefully, Kol had found my clue so that they would know I hadn't just run away. Kol would know that Medici took me. Maybe they were already trying to find Trent so that I could leave. Medici wouldn't hurt me and without leverage… there was nothing he could do.

It was quite a while later that we finally left the city and headed out into the countryside. I didn't recognize the area, but it was very pretty. It didn't surprise me that he would want to have a residence out there; he favored seclusion and beauty.

When we finally pulled up to the gorgeous house, I stared at it in appreciation. French-style houses were a particular favorite of mine, mostly for their elegance. I was surprised, however, that Medici hadn't done anything to make the house look more… Italian.

But I needn't have worried, because the inside was decorated in a very Italian style. It even smelled like marinara sauce, which was explained when an elderly Italian woman greeted us in the entryway to tell us that she had just finished lunch and would serve it in the dining room.

"Shall we?" Medici asked me and offered his arm.

I ignored it and moved for where the dining room should be. I found it there with ease and took my seat, thanking the woman that came forward to pour me a glass of sparkling water. Medici asked for some wine and was presented with no less than thirty options.

When he had finally picked one, he said, "I regret that you cannot join me in a glass."

"I'll live."

Medici turned to address a guard that stood in the corner of the room. "Would you please make sure that our special guest has received his lunch?"

The special guest could only mean _Trent_ , but I didn't say anything. I probably should have asked him some question about how Trent was doing, but it was clear that that had been his intention. So, I remained silent and thanked the woman that gave me my plate of spaghetti. It had been a long time since I'd had authentic Italian spaghetti, and I was actually very excited to have it again. Pasta made from scratch was always better.

Medici kept trying to start a conversation as we ate, but I all but ignored him. He had kidnapped my brother to force me back into a life that he knew I did not want – I did not owe him any manners. Finally, he took the hint and just stopped trying to start a conversation. Eating in silence was so much better.

After the meal was over and the plates had been cleared, Medici asked me if I wanted to see my brother.

"Isn't that the whole reason we came here first? Because I assume that we won't be staying in the same place that you're holding my brother." He would be too worried about me breaking him out. And, for all I knew, he had plans to move Trent as soon as we left this place.

"It is," he agreed and stood, motioning for me to do the same. "Come. I'll take you to your brother."

I stood and followed him through the house and up a grand staircase, my eyes taking in every little detail. Even if they were planning to move Trent after we left, I wanted to be prepared for everything.

Once we were up the stairs, Medici led me to the last door on the left and took a key out of his pocket. "You'll have ten minutes. I know that you haven't seen your brother in a long time and you'll want to catch up. When you're done, we'll have some gelato before we hit the road."

When he had unlocked the door, I opened it and stepped inside, hearing it lock behind me. The room looked a lot like a prison cell, mostly bare and horribly decorated. But the man inside didn't belong in a place for violent offenders.

"Trent."

From where he sat reading on the bed, he looked up and his eyes widened in shock. "Izzy?"

"Allie," I corrected him automatically, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I go by Allie now."

"Jesus." He stood and crossed the distance between us, pulling me into a tight hug. "What are you doing here?" He pulled away and there was panic in his eyes. "Did Medici get to you, too? Is he going to lock you up?"

"No, nothing like that," I assured him and motioned for him to sit down on the bed with me. "He actually took you _because_ of me."

"I don't get it."

I sighed. "He wants me to steal something. And he knew that I wouldn't get back into that life unless he had leverage."

"Ah." Understanding lit his light eyes. " _I'm_ the leverage."

"It worked." I tried to force a smile. "I'm here."

He groaned in despair and ran a hand through his unruly dark hair, which was starting to curl around the collar of his gray tee. "You shouldn't have come, baby sis. You should have called his bluff. Do you really think he'd hurt me?"

"The thought crossed my mind," I admitted. "But you didn't see him when he talked about the music box that he wants me to steal. It's _very_ important to him. I know that he's a man of honor, but I think he'd do anything to get this box. And since our mother stole it, he feels like it has to be one of us."

"And you're the best," he concluded for me. "But, wait… did you say _Mom_ stole the box from him?"

I gave him a quick recap. "Look, he didn't give me much time in here. Are you okay?"

"Other than being bored out of my mind, I'm fine," he assured me. "They let me paint, though, which helps." He gestured to the painting supplies in a corner of the room. "They feed me well, there's an attached bathroom… I just can't go outside. What about you? He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

I snorted. "Medici doesn't hurt women. That's why he needed you in the first place. He knew that he couldn't take me by force."

"True."

"And he wouldn't hurt a child."

Trent frowned. "You're well into adulthood."

"Yeah… but I'm pregnant."

I'd never seen him so shocked. He couldn't speak for several long moments and, when he finally did, his voice was hoarse. "Okay… explain."

I did so as quickly as I could because our time was winding down. Medici was a man of his word, and he wasn't likely to give us even a second more than he'd told me.

"We'd better get you back in time for your wedding, then," Trent teased me with a weak smile. I knew that he felt bad for me.

"We will," I promised him and moved for a hug just as there was a knock on the door. "It's all going to be okay."

But I was really trying to convince myself.


	32. Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! I hope that you will continue to enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. I never want Steve and Allie's story to end! But someday, it will have to, and I hope that I don't botch that ending.**

 **As a reminder: you all get to vote and tell me if you want Steve and Allie's baby to be a boy or a girl. The last chapter that you will be able to make that vote by will be chapter five, because I like to write ahead and I'll need it for later chapters of the story. So, get your votes in! You can review or private message me, if you'd like.**

 **Thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I've been amazed at the support that I've gotten so far, and I will never be able to thank you all enough. You've boosted my confidence more than you'll ever know. Thank you!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Two: Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You_

Steve

When I woke up, I finally felt refreshed, which felt wrong when I considered the situation.

 _Allie and your baby need you to be rested,_ the logical side of my brain argued. _You need to be at the top of your game._

After a minute, I rolled out of bed and went to take a shower and shave. But being in that shower brought back memories of all of the showers that I had shared with Allie, and I spent more time than I should have just standing under the spray, remembering. Once I'd gotten out and toweled off, I dressed and finished getting ready for the day. There was noise coming from downstairs, and it was about time that I joined everyone there.

It was very early in the morning when I came down the stairs and found a couple of women in the kitchen, working on breakfast. They were speaking a language that I didn't understand, and I didn't feel like trying to work it out. Instead, I joined Kol at the table, where he was nursing a glass of milk.

"Morning," he said when he saw me. "There's coffee over there."

I gestured to his glass of milk. "Not very good?"

"It's good," he assured me. "I've already had three cups in the last hour. Uncle Edward banned me from having any more."

I hadn't had a conversation with Allie's uncle yet, but he seemed just as powerful as her father. People listened when he talked, and it was clear that they respected him. If he'd told Kol to stop drinking coffee, I had no doubt that Kol hadn't even tried to argue. "I'll grab some."

Once I'd poured myself a mug and put a little bit of butter in it, I sat back down at the table. "Anything yet?"

Kol shook his head and I studied the dark bags under his eyes. "Nothing yet."

"How long has it been since you've slept?"

"Too long," he admitted. "That's why Uncle Edward wanted me to lay off the coffee. Once the caffeine is out of my system, I'll go try to get some sleep."

"I guess that's what everyone else is doing?" Other than the two women in the kitchen, there was only one guy on his laptop in the living room.

"Mostly," he nodded. "Someone went and got a bunch of air mattresses and Five-O went home and said they'd be back this morning. Uncle Edward and my father are on the back porch, still making calls."

"Still?"

"They have a lot of connections." He sighed. "I just hope it's enough."

So did I.

We sat and enjoyed our drinks together, but it was clear that the conversation was over. At one point, Michael came in with Gideon at his heels, and he told us that he'd taken Gideon for a run. I was glad that he was being looked after, as that's what Allie would have wanted. I fed him while Michael went to go and take a shower.

"We've had a hard time getting him to eat," Kol said as we both watched Gideon whine and lie down beside his bowl of food, leaving it untouched. "He always eats eventually, but he misses her."

"I know how he feels," I said and knelt down to pet him.

The women in the kitchen finished cooking and told Kol and me that breakfast was ready. Then, they went to start waking the others, as it was five-thirty and time to start the day. Kol and I served ourselves first, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the feast that had been prepared. There were a couple of different kinds of breakfast casserole, cinnamon rolls, blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, and coffee. It reminded me of a hotel's complementary breakfast.

The food was delicious, but I found that I was having a hard time forcing myself to eat. The thought of Allie and my baby being so far away and possibly in danger… it did bad things to my appetite. But Kol and I kept reminding each other to eat, so we each got through our plates.

Five-O showed up as everyone was eating, all of them carrying a few bags of groceries. Danny explained that Kol had texted him and gave him a list of the things that people needed. Kol gratefully took the bags and began to distribute the things inside to the people that had requested them.

"Any updates?" Kono asked once we were in the living room, away from everyone else.

I sat down on the recliner with a sigh. "No. Nothing yet. They have people looking through cameras that are anywhere near Medici's residences and other people running her face through national databases. Everyone else is making calls to contacts, telling them to be on the lookout for her."

"Anything we can do?" Chin asked.

I shook my head. "Not that I can think of." Before I could say anything else, Allie's uncle called out from the kitchen. "I've got her!"

We stood and rushed to the doorway and observed him standing just inside the back door, phone in his hand. Allie's father came rushing in from the hallway, excited. "Where? Where is she? Italy?"

"No." Edward addressed the hackers, mainly. "Paris." He gave them the address and they suddenly had laptops in the place of their plates, typing furiously. "We need to figure out what she was doing near there. My contact said that she looked like a woman on a mission."

"So, maybe whatever she's been assigned to steal is near there," Allie's dad concluded. "So, we need a list of everything valuable in that area. Private collections, jewelry stores-"

"That won't be necessary," said a hacker by the name of Jax. "She was spotted two blocks away from the Kingsley Museum."

A collective groan went up from around the room.

"What?" I asked, not understanding. "What's the Kingsley Museum?"

Kol was the one to explain. "When most people think of museums in Paris, they think of The Louvre. But the Kingsley… it's even bigger and has even better security. It's like the country club of museums; the entry fees are pretty steep and art admirers from around the world visit to see some of the finest works of art ever known to man."

"Not good for a smash and grab job," Michael said. "And they don't tolerate thieves. He needed Allie because you have to be _insanely_ good to steal something from the Kingsley. The last time that it was accomplished was in…"

"1972," Allie's dad said. "Right, Edward?"

Edward's mouth twitched into a small smile. "Yes."

"It was you?" Danny asked in surprise.

Edward seemed faintly offended. "I was a younger man."

"I have her on a couple of cameras," Jax said, interrupting the conversation. "But I can't tell anything. I'll print out the pictures so that we can take a look."

"Either way," Allie's dad said, "we know where she is. Paris."

Kol stood. "We have to go, then." He looked to his uncle. "We can use your house as a home base."

"Of course," Edward agreed. "But no doubt, Medici will have people watching all airports in and around Paris. He'll likely be watching my estate as well."

"So, we go in through Italy," Kol said. "Take the train in small groups and sneak in the back way."

"It's the only way," his father agreed. "I don't expect all of you to give up who knows how much of your time-"

But everyone in the room said that he shouldn't be ridiculous and of course they would come. Allie was family to them, much like she was to Five-O. These people had known her all of her life, and they cared very deeply about her.

"We'll need fake IDs," Max said.

"I know a guy," Kol said with a smile as he walked away, cell phone already in his hand. "I'll put in a call."

Everyone was suddenly in motion and I took my team back into the living room. There obviously wasn't anything that we could do in there, as we knew where Allie was and now it was just about the travel arrangements.

"Nothing else to do here," I told them. "Why don't you guys go into the office and work whatever cases come in? I'm going to take some personal time. I'll let you know when anything else develops."

They argued a little bit, but finally agreed that they had a responsibility to continue working cases until something else developed. Chin and Kono gave me a hug and reminded me that they would always be there for me and Allie was their family, too.

Danny's hug lasted a little longer and when he pulled back, his expression was serious. "You know that I'm here for you and Allie. And that baby. Anything you need – anything at all – just call me, okay? Day or night."

I nodded. "Thank you, Danny. It means a lot."

"You're welcome." He let himself out and I stood there for several moments, feeling useless as everyone else was running around, getting stuff done.

Finally, I decided to go back to my own house and pack a bag. Because they weren't going to Paris without me, even if they had a million reasons that I should remain behind.

Because when it came to my family, there was nothing I wouldn't do.

I got back to the house and found Allie's dad sitting on the front porch, looking like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Hey," I told him as I approached. "What happened? Is Allie okay?"

He seemed surprised to see me, but nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah. She's still fine, as far as I know."

There was obviously something else going on, so I sat down in the chair beside him. "Something is on your mind."

He nodded. "You must be very good at your job, Commander."

"Steve," I corrected him.

"Alex," he told me, and I realized that he'd never told me his name before right then. With a sigh, he stared down at his hands, which were clasped between his knees. "I didn't realize it at first, but… The Kingsley Museum… I know what Medici wants her to steal."

I felt surprise ripple through my body. "How? There have to be over two hundred pieces of art in that museum. How do you know which one Medici wants?"

"There are over _five hundred_ pieces of art in that museum," he corrected me gently. "But not even half of those are displayed. The rest of them are in the archives, behind the most sophisticated safe door ever invented. Medici wants Allie to get in _there_."

"For what?"

There was a sad look in his eyes as he looked out over Allie's front yard. "My wife left us when Allie and Kol were thirteen… did she ever tell you about that?"

"Yes." I didn't tell him about Allie tracking her mother down years later, because I wasn't sure that he knew about that and I didn't want to betray Allie's trust.

"She never told me that she was leaving," he said. "But a week after she did, Medici showed up at my home. He asked me where she was and I told him that she'd left. Even showed him the note. I hoped that maybe he had heard from her. But he said that he'd noticed that a music box was missing from his private collection and that she had stolen it. I didn't believe him until he showed me the security footage."

"A music box?" I asked, surprised. "How much could that possibly be worth? Why would it be worth all of this?"

"He claimed that his grandfather had stashed some valuable information inside. I believe that was true, but I don't believe it was just the land deeds and account codes that he told me. There was something else… but I never found out. I tried to put it out of my mind."

"How do you know it's at the Kingsley Museum?" I asked him.

"Because a year later, on the anniversary of her leaving, I was sent a pamphlet for the Kingsley Museum. After some research, I found that at the time my wife stole the box, the museum had been undergoing some major reconstruction. It wouldn't have been too difficult for her to stash it there."

"And you never told anyone?"

"No," he sighed. "So, I'm not sure how Medici found out, but clearly, he did. And now he wants Allie to break in."

"Can she do it? I never knew her when she was Isabelle Rinaldi. I only know her as Allie Rhodes. And the Allie Rhodes that I know can disable bombs and handle herself well in a fight, but… can she do this?" I knew nothing about that world, but he did.

He thought for a moment and finally said, "If anyone can do it, it's Allie. People always said that she was just like her mother, but I disagree. As talented as Amy was, Allie is a million times better."

"She's been out of the game for a long time," I reminded him.

He nodded. "I know. But there are some things that you just don't forget. The way that my children were trained… that kind of thing should be instinct to them."

I remembered the first case that Allie had worked with Five-O. She had said that a security camera wasn't working, even though there had been no outward indication. And she had been right. "Yeah," I agreed with him. "I don't think she forgot."

"You packed a bag," he said with a nod to the duffel bag at my feet.

"I'm not letting you guys leave me behind."

"I didn't think you would." He stood. "I need to go and update everyone on the target. You coming?"

I stood as well. "Absolutely."

Allie

I was practicing my sleight of hand when there was a knock on the door of my suite. Part of me didn't want to answer it, but the other part of me reminded me that Medici had a key – as he was the one paying for the suite in the first place – and he would just come in if I didn't answer.

With a sigh, I climbed off of the large king bed and padded to the door. Medici stood on the other side, his bodyguard right behind him. When he saw me, he smiled. "Allie. May I come in?"

"It's _your_ suite," I reminded him and left the door open as I headed towards the living area, my eyes flicking immediately towards the camera that hung in the corner of the room with a view of the entire space. There was a similar camera in the kitchen area and the bedroom, but thankfully not one in the bathroom. I would have drawn the line there.

Medici followed me into the room and waited until I'd taken a seat on the couch before he sat down on the chair. "Do the accommodations not suit you? It's the largest suite that they have."

"The accommodations are fine." I received a full meal three times a day like clockwork and the kitchen was also fully stocked. The sheets were heavenly and changed daily, the towels were the softest I'd ever felt, and the view from my balcony was nothing short of incredible. I hadn't indulged in too many of the finer things of life since I had left the con life, but I knew that even among the rich, this suite was a luxury.

"Excellent," he said. "As always, if you have need of anything – day or night – feel free to notify me or one of my men." He'd programmed all of the numbers I would need into the cell phone that he had provided for me. The cell phone that he had someone monitoring very closely.

I nodded to indicate that I had heard and understood him.

"On to business." He gestured for his bodyguard to come into the room and hand him a large, rolled up piece of thick paper. When he unrolled it on top of the coffee table, I saw that it was a blueprint of the Kingsley Museum.

In my surprise, I stood to look it over, my mind already in overdrive. "How in the world did you get this?"

"Money can open a lot of doors."

"Right. Sometimes I forget you're a billionaire. Is there any possibility that you could bribe the guards of the museum to steal this box for you?" It was the last bit of hope that I had, but I didn't think I would be that lucky.

And I wasn't. "I am certain. Guards are vetted extremely well. They're also compensated very generously and take weekly polygraphs. It would take far too much time to find someone talented enough to infiltrate them. And even then, only the top guards are allowed access to the vault."

"No wonder people don't break into the Kingsley," I groaned in frustration as my eyes strayed to the blueprint. "It's impossible."

"Not impossible. Your mother did it," he reminded me.

I felt the irritation burning inside, sharp and hot. I glanced up at him and knew that he could see it. "I'm not my mother, and that was many, many years ago. Things change. Security systems become more sophisticated all of the time. Con artists are constantly having to adjust their strategies."

"Well, I suggest that you find one," he told me as he stood and buttoned the jacket of his suit. "A strategy, that is. You have unlimited resources at your disposal, so feel free to use them. With my resources and your knowledge and talents, I have no doubt we will be successful."

 _We_? I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to ask him what he was really doing besides financing the job. He _certainly_ wasn't going to risk his life to get the box back. He was just going to make _me_ risk my life. Getting killed for it wasn't likely, but I could certainly be thrown into prison for the rest of my life for breaking in to such a respected museum. The French government took their art very seriously and weren't likely to go easy on me; especially because I was an American.

"I'll work on it. Did you have time to get me that credit card?"

"Ah, yes." He withdrew his wallet and then took out a shiny gold credit card. "You can use this for all of your needs. But remember… I'll be watching." He glanced up at the camera in the corner of the room and smiled. I knew that he had a couple of men a few floors below me constantly watching those cameras, just to make sure that I "followed all of the rules to the letter".

"I remember," I practically growled and pocketed the card. "Anything else?"

"No. Please, enjoy your evening." He headed for the door and then left, leaving me all alone with a blueprint that I could be arrested just for _having_. I would have to be careful to keep it hidden in case housekeeping got curious and decided to take a quick peek. I didn't need to get arrested before the job even began.

With a deep breath, I wandered to the glass door leading out to the balcony and stared at the setting sun, casting light off of many different buildings.

I wondered what Steve was doing… hoped that he was functioning okay. Hoped that he was on his way to come and find me.

But no matter where he was in the world, I knew that he loved me. I could feel it as surely as I could feel the breath in my lungs.

And his love was the only thing getting me through all of this.


	33. Reflections

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! I have a feeling that part two is going to be more challenging than part one, but thankfully, I already have an outline prepared. As a reminder: you all get to vote on whether Steve and Allie's baby should be a boy or a girl. Your votes have to be in by chapter five, so feel free to review or private message me with your vote! I look forward to tallying them up! (And, yes, you can vote more than once. I've gotten a few messages from people asking, so I decided that the more votes, the better. So, if you're really hoping for one or the other, get your votes in!)**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following this story. Every show of support means so much to me. I appreciate each and every one of you (yes, even the silent readers). You have no idea how much joy it brings me when my e-mail notification goes off, informing me that another person enjoys my story. Thank you.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Three: Reflections_

Steve

Danny met me at the private airport just as I'd asked him to. He approached with his hands in his pockets, nodding a greeting to the people he passed, and it really began to hit me how much I would miss him while I was gone. We'd been partners for years, and I had grown used to his presence and having him by my side in dicey situations. But, this was a whole different ball game, and I knew that Hawaii needed him here.

I handed my bag off to one of the crew members and then approached Danny, forcing myself to smile, despite my inner turmoil. "Thanks for meeting me out here."

He came to a stop and nodded at the plane, which was almost through fueling up. "You're really going, huh? To Paris? City of love and all that."

"I'm really going. As _Jordan Alexander._ "

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Well _that's_ a fake name if I've ever heard one."

I shrugged. "There wasn't much time to come up with better names. We were on a time crunch to make the IDs and get them into the system. They did good, though. If I didn't know any better, I'd say my ID was real."

With seriousness that was unusual for him, he said, "We all want to come with you, you know."

"I know." I couldn't help my smile, despite the serious circumstances. "And believe me, I'd love to have you there. But someone has to run this task force while I'm gone, and there's no one that could do as good a job as you. Hawaii needs Five-O, even if it _will_ be down a couple of members for a while."

"I love you, buddy." He clasped my hand and pulled me into a quick hug. "You be careful out there, okay?"

"Always," I promised him.

"And bring Allie and that baby back. I want the opportunity to watch you change a diaper."

I rolled my eyes at him and turned to head for the plane. "I'm going to be just fine."

But I wasn't entirely sure about that. Parenthood wasn't something that I had any experience with, aside from the little time that I'd spent babysitting my niece. Hell, I had more experience with explosives than I did with small children.

Before Danny could tell me about all of the ways that parenthood was _not_ fine, Kono's car pulled up next to his and she and Chin stepped out, both of them sporting somber expressions. It made my heart ache, but I forced myself to smile. "Come to see me off?"

"Wouldn't have missed it," Chin told me and pulled me into a hug. "Be careful out there, okay? We'll look after everything here. Just bring Allie home safe."

"Will do."

Kono stepped forward next, a hundred different emotions warring in her dark eyes. "We could come with you, you know. Allie is our family, too. I'm sure that Duke could look after the island for a few weeks."

"Hawaii needs Five-O," I told her. "It needs _you_. While I'm gone, there's no one else that I would trust to look after things. I'll be back as soon as I can – and with Allie – I promise."

She nodded with a sigh and stepped into my open arms for a hug. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"Like what?" I asked, slightly affronted. "What could I possibly do?"

She stepped away and Danny answered my question. "You could get yourself arrested in Paris. And then we'd _have_ to come to try and break your ass out of jail. So, yeah, what she said: be careful and don't do anything stupid."

I rolled my eyes at them and moved to board the plane. "Maybe you guys shouldn't have come after all."

"We love you, too, sweetheart!" Danny called after me, and I heard Chin and Kono laughing. Good. At least Danny would keep them in good spirits while I was gone. I hated to make them even more sad than they already were after Allie's disappearance.

At the door to the plane, I turned and waved once and then boarded, feeling like I was leaving something behind, but also heading right where I needed to be. I spotted Allie's twin near the back of the plane, so that's where I headed.

"Your uncle has a private plane," I said, still surprised, as I sat down next to Kol.

He popped an M&M into his mouth and offered me the big, family size bag. "He flies it, too."

I declined the candy. "I'm impressed. How much flight experience does he have?"

He laughed and grabbed another handful of M&Ms. "Enough. Anyone ever tell you that you have control issues?"

Danny would have loved that. Yet another reason that it was a good thing he hadn't come along. I wouldn't be able to focus if he and Kol were constantly ganging up on me. "I don't have control issues."

"You could probably get a handle on it if you practiced a little bit of acceptance."

I ignored that. "Do we have a plan yet?"

"Not yet." He sighed. "Hopefully by the time that we land, we'll know more about what's going on. We've got people continuously monitoring and analyzing the situation."

Max and Michael boarded the plane just then and took seats next to each other, speaking not only in low voices, but also in a language that I couldn't understand.

"What are they speaking?" I murmured to Kol, who momentarily turned his attention away from his candy to listen to his elder brothers.

"Korean, I think. I've never been all that great with the Asian languages. Took me forever to become proficient in Mandarin."

"Why so secretive?"

He shrugged. "They're just like that. Try not to take it personally. Now, about these control issues…"

"That's enough," I warned him and reached out to grab some candy, barely snagging a handful before Kol snatched the bag away with a cry of protest.

"You okay?" he asked me a moment later, his expression unreadable. "I saw you saying goodbye to Five-O. I don't know about you, but goodbyes are always hard for me."

"I'll miss them. The islands, too," I allowed. "But there's nowhere else I'd rather be than helping with Allie's rescue." Every time that I thought about her in the clutches of a man with ties to the Sicilian Mafia, I wanted to lose it. I was angry… mostly at myself. If I'd done just _one_ thing differently – let her come with me to the airport, called to make sure that she'd made it home safely, asked Kol to take a cab or asked Danny to pick him up so that I could have gone home with her… He never could have gotten to her.

"We're fortunate to have someone with your background," said a tall, leggy blonde as she took a seat across the aisle from us. She smiled at me with ruby red lips and crossed her legs slowly, a sure sign of seduction. She was beautiful, yes, but she did nothing for me. My whole heart belonged to Allie.

"Nice of you to join us, G," Kol said, mouth full of M&Ms. Something about the carefully controlled expression on his face gave me the impression that he was purposefully abandoning his manners to annoy her.

She made a face at him. "Your mouth is full, Kol."

"A very astute observation." He swallowed and then gestured to our newest companion. "Steve McGarrett, this is Giselle. She's a cousin on our mother's side. She had also said that she couldn't come because of some situation in Brazil-"

"I finished the job early and caught the next flight to Hawaii," she cut him off. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she grinned at me. "Is it true? Allie's pregnant?"

It was like a punch in the stomach. Allie getting snatched was terrible enough, but when you added in the fact that she was also carrying our child… it was almost unbearable. I tried to keep my mind off of it just so that I could focus, but when it was thrown in my face like that…

"Jesus Christ, Giselle." Kol's voice was full of venom and his expression was harder than I'd ever seen it. "Leave the man alone and be a decent human being for once in your life. Unless, of course, you'd like me to put in a call to your mother."

Giselle's eyes narrowed. "I'm not afraid of my mother. I'm an adult. Grow up, Kol."

Wordlessly, Kol withdrew his cell phone from the pocket of his leather jacket and began to punch in some numbers.

"What are you doing?" Giselle asked him, and I was sure that I detected a hint of fear in her voice, though she masked it pretty well.

"Nothing." Kol's eyes didn't move from his phone's display. "Was it three nine _six_ eight, or three nine _four_ eight? I always forget."

"I told you, I'm not afraid of my mother." But the look in her eyes contradicted her statement. "You're wasting your time."

Kol shrugged. "I'll try both. We'll start with six eight." He finished dialing and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Fine. Fine!" Giselle stood and raised her arms as if in surrender. "I'm going to go and sit by your brothers."

"I'm sure they'll enjoy that." Kol ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket, watching as Giselle walked away. "Sorry about her. We really don't like to claim her."

I nodded, wondering why she would be so afraid of her mother. And also wishing that her mother had joined us on the flight so that we could have entirely avoided the situation. "Why is she here?" I asked him, somehow breathing around the tightness in my chest. "She doesn't seem to be doing it for the compassion."

"She likes the drama." Kol rolled his eyes and dug into his candy again. "Believe me, I'd turn her away if I didn't think that she could be helpful. She's quick on her feet and the very best at creating distractions. If things get dicey, you'll want her around."

"We'll see."

Kol's uncle and father appeared just then, along with several other people that boarded and took their seats. Edward announced that we were ready for takeoff, and everyone began to buckle in and prepare.

"Might as well relax and try to take a nap," Kol told me once we were in the air. He began to recline his own seat. "I don't know about you, but changing time zones always screws me up for a few days unless I nap on the way."

"I'm not sure that I can," I admitted, but I knew that it was a good idea.

Kol shrugged and leaned back, closing his eyes and folding his arms across his chest. "Suit yourself. But if you _do_ decide to sleep, don't try cuddling me. Save that for when we rescue my sister."

Despite the fact that nothing about the situation was funny, I smiled. Kol had a way of providing comic relief even in the most serious of situations. I was really glad that I was going to have him with me in Paris. Otherwise, I didn't know what I would do.

Forty-five minutes into the flight, Kol was in a deep sleep, which I knew because I had managed to steal the bag of candy away from him without waking him up. I had eaten the remainder of the candy, and I was actually starting to feel a little sleepy. It would be best for me to try and get some rest.

So, I reclined my seat and took up a position much like Kol's. And as I drifted off to sleep in Allie's uncle's plane, I sent a plea to the heavens that I could bring her and our child home safely. Because without them, I didn't know how I could live with myself.

 **Allie**

"There's gotta be a better way," I muttered to myself as I examined the blueprints.

Years ago, having the blueprints to the Kingsley Museum would have been like striking gold. I would have been elated, and I would have immediately gathered a team to strike for something that would have made us all a lot of money. The problem now was that I couldn't gather the team that I wanted. I needed _my_ people – people that I knew that I could trust because they'd proven themselves in the past. Not these men that Medici was trying to stick me with.

The biggest problem was that I didn't know what these men were capable of. Medici could sing their praises all that he wanted, but I had never seen them in action. And I had learned long ago that actions speak much louder than words. _Actions scream, words whisper_ , Kol liked to say.

Kol… if only I could have had my twin brother there with me. He'd always been on my team during high profile hits, and I didn't know what to do without him. I needed his easygoing spirit to help me keep my head on straight, because I was certain that I was losing it more and more with each passing day. Being in captivity – even if that captivity did include one of the world's nicest hotel suites and a credit card with a ridiculous limit – did not suit me at all.

Papers sporting the copious amount of research that I had done were scattered on the table, couch, and floor. I'd been trying to sort through them all, but I had yet to come up with the perfect system. Trent had been the researcher of the family, and it wasn't like Medici was going to let me consult with him. He'd be too afraid that I was secretly trying to figure out how to break my brother out… which, to be fair, I would have been.

As I brought up the Kingsley Museum's website on my laptop, I felt that familiar wave of nausea in my stomach.

"Not again," I muttered and squeezed my eyes shut against the attack, but to no avail. Within seconds, I was rushing to the bathroom and leaning over the toilet with no time to spare. I'd always considered myself a pretty tough person (I mean, come on, I'd grown up with four brothers), but throwing up was something that I absolutely could not stand.

When I was finally done, I flushed and fell to my knees, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead. I hadn't ever pictured myself pregnant, but even once I'd found out about the pregnancy, I had never given a thought to morning sickness. I suppose that I had thought myself immune. Unfortunately, that was not the case. It had hit me out of nowhere and it did not seem to be going away.

There was a knock on the front door of the suite, but I did not yet have the energy to get up and answer it. Whoever it was, I was certain that they had a key.

Moments later, I heard my captor's voice from the front hall. "Allie? Are you ill again?"

I didn't have the energy to answer. It was all I could do to stay on my knees and not fall over onto the tile floor. Although… perhaps the cold would do me some good…

Before I could decide, I spotted a pair of the finest leather shoes that money could buy. They came closer, and then I heard him sigh. "This is the fifth time today that you have been sick, Allie. And it is only…" He paused. To check his watch, I assumed. "Ten minutes after noon. I will call the doctor and we will take you in tomorrow."

Anger bubbled in my veins, but I didn't want to give up the last of my energy for it. "Whatever you think is best." It wasn't like I would have much of a choice anyway, and it probably _would_ be helpful to see what a physician thought of the excessive morning sickness. I had already tried the special candies, yoga, saltines, eating smaller meals more frequently… If he could make it go away, it would be worth it.

"You cannot plan a heist if you're busy throwing up every few minutes," Medici said and headed for the door. "I will let you know when we are to leave for the doctor. Can I get you anything in the meantime?"

"No." I wanted to ask him to bring me a Gatorade from the fridge, but the biggest part of me refused to ask him for anything.

"Very well. Do not hesitate to reach out if you change your mind." But he knew that I wouldn't.

Twenty seconds later, he was gone, and I had decided that the cold tile floor would feel good. And, oh, how it did. I wanted to just stay there forever and not have to think about the heist or my kidnapped brother… To only think about the cold and the peace…

 _And suddenly, I was far, far away. In the bathroom of my old apartment in Washington D.C. I felt sick to my stomach as I paced in front of the sink, waiting. When I turned, I caught my reflection in the mirror and marveled at how different I was._

 _My hair was longer and lighter, pulled up into a wavy ponytail. I was dressed in a red tank top and gray sweatpants, definitely not a fashion statement. And though I looked younger, I also looked tired and… worried? Stressed? There was something else there. Something complicated._

 _The timer on my phone went off and I rushed to the sink, where the white stick sat on top of the pink box._

 _Ah, yes. I remembered that day quite well. My period hadn't come that month (was it a December?), and I had been so worried that I was pregnant. What would I do? How would I explain that?_

 _I looked down at the stick and as the negative result settled in my brain, I all at once felt relief and… sadness. For, although I knew that it would be complicated to be pregnant with the baby of an assassin from a competing agency, I also kind of wanted there to be a part of me and Ari out there in the world. I hadn't ever wanted kids, but the possibility had caused me to think about expanding my options and…_

 _A knock on the door made me jump and caused the stick to fly out of my hands and right into the trash can where it belonged._

" _Al?" Ari called. "I just got here a few minutes ago. Are you okay?"_

" _Yeah," I called back and hastily began to dispose of the box and cover them. "Sorry, you just scared me. Give me a second."_

" _Okay." I could hear his footsteps moving away. "I brought some of that Swiss chocolate that you like. I'm going to pick out a wine to go with them."_

 _I took a minute to calm myself, knowing that he would be able to tell that something was amiss. Should I tell him? What would he think of me if I said that I wanted a baby? I had to tell him, right? That's how relationships worked. But…_

When I opened my eyes, I was back in the suite in Paris. Back in the present, where Ari was dead and I was pregnant with Steve's baby.

The tile floor was cool beneath my cheek and I closed my eyes once more, wishing to be transported away once again. This time, to a happier moment. A moment with Steve.

And miraculously, my mind obliged and I was carried away.


	34. Identity

… **..**

 **Another chapter is up! I'm sorry that I don't really have a posting schedule this time around, but my new baby is only a few weeks old and I'm finding it a bit challenging to keep up with two kids under the age of two (advice totally welcomed)! But, I dedicated myself to this story a long time ago and I am going to finish it, no matter what. I have it all planned out, so now it's just about getting it written.**

 **As a reminder: you all get to vote on whether Allie and Steve's baby is a boy or girl, but the last chapter to vote on it will be chapter five (which is the next chapter). So, get your votes in! You can leave it in a review, or you can even private message me. Or both. And you can vote as many times as you want. It's pretty close right now, so get those votes in!**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that have shown your support for this story in any way. I know that I thank you before every chapter, but you'll still never know how much it means to me.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Four: Identity_

Allie

Dr. Dubois was the best physician that I could have had… under the circumstances. I mean, ideally, I would have been back in Hawaii with my regular OB/GYN, but… Medici had gotten me the best that Paris had to offer. According to chatter that I'd heard in the waiting room, it was nearly impossible to get an appointment with Dr. Dubois.

And I could see why.

His bedside manner was incredible; he had me feeling more at ease after only a minute. He was in his late thirties – according to my research – and had a kind smile and bright brown eyes that shined behind his glasses. He was dressed immaculately in a navy suit that fit him perfectly, and his voice was professional, yet soothing.

"Having some morning sickness?" he asked me in heavily accented English after he had read my patient summary on his computer screen.

"I speak French," I told him in French, and then realized that might have been insulting. I rushed to add, "I mean, if it's more convenient for you."

He didn't seem insulted at all, only a little surprised. "My nurse told me that I had a last minute American patient added to my day. A student here for the semester studying art?"

I supposed you could call it that. "Yes. But I speak French fluently. I summered here quite a bit as a child."

"Excellent." He consulted my electronic chart for a few moments. "How many times a day would you say that you're throwing up?"

"I'm not sure. It varies. It's pretty much every time that I eat something. I can't keep much down."

"What _can_ you keep down?" he asked. "Water? Crackers?"

"Not crackers. No food, really. Sometimes not even water, if it's a particularly bad day."

He nodded and typed something. "I can see here that you've lost weight. Obviously, we'd like for you to go the other way. We typically look for a gain of one to five pounds in the first trimester and you've lost…" He paused for a moment and then looked at me. "Seven. Not a major concern at this point, but you need to start gaining soon. What have you tried?"

So, I told him about all of the research that I had done and everything that I had tried, obviously to no avail.

When I'd finished, he nodded and gave me a sad smile. "Unfortunately, you've tried just about everything that I would recommend before turning to medication. So, I'm going to recommend Diclegis. Have you heard of it?"

I nodded. "In my research. It's a medicine made specifically for morning sickness, right?"

He nodded. "Correct. I'd start you off with one pill a day in the morning. If you still need a little more, you can take it twice a day. Completely safe for you and baby, but… it can get a little expensive, if insurance doesn't cover it."

"I don't think that will be a problem." The pills could have costed a thousand dollars and Medici would still cover them without blinking.

"Good." He started typing. "I'm going to send the prescription to your preferred pharmacy. Pick them up immediately and…" He glanced at his watch. "It's still early enough in the day that you can go ahead and start taking them today. Call me after a week and let me know how they're working. Or, you can call sooner if you think that you need a heavier dose. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

"Great." He smiled at me. "Do you have any other questions for me?"

"None that I can think of."

Standing, he logged off of the computer. "All right. Then I'll see you in a month for your next visit. If you need me before then, feel free to call."

"Thank you."

"Have a wonderful day." He left to go and see his next patient and I sat there for only a moment before I left the office, checked out, and got into the elevator. On the ground floor, one of Medici's men was waiting for me and fell into step beside me as we headed for the car.

Once we were inside, I told him to head to the pharmacy so that I could pick up my medication. "The doctor said to take my first pill today and then rest as much as possible." The part about resting wasn't true, but I really needed a day that wasn't about planning a heist. I just wanted to spend all day in bed and try to relax. The stress couldn't be good for the baby.

The man – whose name might have been Sawyer – nodded but didn't say a word. Medici's men were excellent at keeping their mouths shut. At the pharmacy, he came with me and followed at a safe distance while I picked up my medication and listened to the pharmacist's consult. Then, we headed back to the hotel.

"You'll tell Medici about the bed rest for today?" I asked the guard once we were at my door. "I don't want him to check in on the cameras and think that I'm not doing my job."

He nodded and then turned and walked away.

"Nice chat," I muttered before unlocking my door and stepping inside. The suite had been cleaned while I was at the doctor's office and I eagerly slipped under the fresh covers after taking my first pill. Then, I turned on the TV and began to flip through the channels.

An hour later, I grew bored and turned the TV off just in time for one of Medici's men to arrive with my lunch – a gourmet sandwich with a cup of fruit and a smoothie. I was more nervous about eating than I had ever been and, after having finished it all, I settled under the covers once more and waited to feel sick. But, after an hour had passed, I started to feel victorious. It seemed like the medication was working. Unfortunately, it also seemed that one of the side effects was hitting me – exhaustion.

I was somehow supposed to plan a heist and get my brother back, but how was I supposed to do that when all that I wanted to do was fall asleep? Hell, how was I supposed to do it when it had been so long since I'd tried something like this? What if I got caught and thrown in jail? What would happen to my baby then?

And it all started to seem so overwhelming. My chest grew tight and tears sprang to my eyes as I buried myself under the covers, not wanting anyone to see my breakdown.

"I need you," I whispered to Steve, even though he was thousands of miles away. "I need you so badly right now. And I know that it's not your fault, but I just _hate_ you for not being here. I hate _myself_ for not being _there_. I just want this all to go away."

And then I heard his voice, as clearly as if he were under those covers with me. _"I'm not good at big speeches. So, all I'm going to say is that I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And if there's anything that I've learned about relationships in my life, it's that you have to hold on tight and never let go. So, will you let me do that? Will you marry me?"_

A choked sob escaped as I curled myself into the fetal position and placed one hand over my stomach. Over where our child was growing. A reminder that it wasn't just about me anymore and, as terrified as I was, I had to keep going. "I won't," I assured Steve, even though I knew that he wasn't there. "I'll hold on tight, and I won't ever let go. And I know that you won't, either."

And I did know. I knew that he was somewhere out there, working as hard as he could to find me and our baby. More than likely, Kol was with him. And they weren't going to give up, so I couldn't, either. I had to keep going until I was safe again.

After wiping away the tears, I emerged and turned the TV on once again. I had to distract myself with something, even if that something was a ridiculously annoying reality TV show. And tomorrow, I was going to plan the perfect heist.

Steve

"Wow." That was all that I could say as I stood in the foyer of Edward's home in Paris.

Kol came to a stop beside me and looked around, his expression unreadable. "It used to be nicer. Uncle E, why did you remove the crystal fountain?"

His uncle walked past him, slapping him upside the head as he did so. "Show Steve to his room and stop being… you."

Kol motioned for me to follow him to a nearby staircase. "He's obviously still upset about the removal of the crystal fountain. Let's not bring it up again. Do you prefer still or sparkling water? I'll have the servants bring some up."

"I don't have servants!" Edward called up after us, his tone sounding like a warning to Kol.

But instead of stopping, Kol lowered his voice to a whisper. "Don't let him fool you. The servants have just been trained to never been seen or heard." He lowered his voice even further as he leaned in. "They live in the _walls_."

Despite the circumstances, I smiled, thankful for the thousandth time that Kol was there with me. He kept me relaxed in all of the tension. "Sounds creepy."

"Beyond creepy." He led me to the last door on the right and opened it for me, revealing a simple, yet tasteful bedroom. "Here you go. This was… _is_ … Allie's room when she stays here." He gave me a sad smile and took a step backwards. "I'm going to get settled. I'll come get you when dinner is ready."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded, watching him walk away before I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me, dropping my duffel at my feet. This room had been Allie's, and though it was only very a small piece of her, I needed it.

I looked for her in the light blue curtains that matched the bedspread, in the elegant white chest of drawers, and in the artwork hanging on the walls. But ultimately, I found her in the drawers when I went to put away my clothes. There, I found the decorative boxes and inside, I found the pictures.

After I'd taken a seat on the bed, I began to go through them. And after only a few, I felt the tears in my eyes. They were all pictures of Allie at various ages, with dates, places, and ages meticulously documented on the back. Seven in Russia, twelve in Switzerland… I watched her evolution until I could no longer stand it. Then, I pushed the pictures aside so that I could lie down on the bed, staring up at the smooth ceiling. More than anything, I wanted Allie beside me. I wanted to ask her about the context of the pictures and listen to stories from her childhood. I knew the truth now – that she'd been born to a family of con artists – so she could tell me the whole truth. I wanted to pull her into my arms and never let her go again. I wanted to apologize for not keeping her and our child safe.

There was a knock on the door, but I wasn't ready to move. "Come in."

It opened and then closed, and Kol moved into my line of sight seconds later. "I see you found the pictures. Not a word about my haircut when I was thirteen. The teenage years were difficult."

"Not a word," I agreed, but there was no humor. I felt nothing but sadness.

He sighed. "Dinner's ready. Do you want me to fix you a plate and bring it to you?"

"I'm not hungry."

"That's a yes, then." He headed for the door. "It's homemade pasta. You'll love it." Without waiting for an answer, he left. And I knew that I would eat what he brought, because I had the sense to know that I needed to keep my strength up.

The pasta truly was delicious, and I ate everything that was on my plate. Kol didn't stay, but that was okay with me. I needed some time alone to think and go through more of the pictures. And I had every intention of asking Allie about them when we got her back. I wanted to know all of her stories.

Once I'd gone through all of them, I put them back in their boxes and put them away before exploring the other drawers. There were some clothes that she probably kept here just in case, some books that I looked through, and… a few flash drives kept in fancy cases.

"Videos."

I jumped and whirled around to find Kol standing just inside the door.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I figured you would have heard me come in. Those flash drives have videos on them. Allie had them downloaded from old VHS tapes that Uncle Edward had."

"Videos of what?" I asked him.

"Allie. All of us, really, but I think she focused on the ones she was in. Do you want to see?"

Did I? I only hesitated a moment before I nodded.

"Okay. Give me a sec." He left the room and came back with his laptop, which he set up on the bed. I sat down beside him and watched as he entered a ridiculously long password. A blank screen came up and then there was Allie. Rather, a younger version of Allie. And across from her was a younger version of Kol, thinking very hard.

On screen, Allie gestured to the playing cards between them. "Do you want any cards or not?"

"Give me a second." Kol's face was pure concentration. "You could be bluffing."

"I could be," Allie agreed with a nod, and even I couldn't read her expression. "It'll cost you forty to find out."

As the poker game continued on screen, the Kol that was sitting beside me spoke. "I could never beat her at poker." He laughed without humor. "It's kind of funny… I always know when she's lying or when she's upset… I always know what's going on in her head. _Except_ when we're playing poker. She has a real talent for it."

"Clearly," I said and gestured to the screen, where she'd just won the game. "You were kind of a sore loser back then, you know?"

"That's because I didn't lose very often. I'm very gifted when it comes to any kind of competition."

"That's not the evidence that I'm seeing here."

"You can be a real pain in the ass. Has anyone ever told you that?"

I laughed, thinking of Danny and the many, _many_ times that I'd heard that exact sentence from him. "You know, I've heard it once or twice."

"You should hear it more often." He gestured to the screen. "And there she is practicing her lifts on Frederic. That's the name that she gave Uncle Edward's mannequin. He's the best training dummy. You should give it a try sometime."

I watched Allie perform a lift without rattling a single bell. She made it look effortless, but I knew that there was no way that I could do it like that. "I don't think that I would be very good at it. I prefer to be more direct."

He snorted. "Of course you do. Um… so… there's total immunity for anything that happens in these videos, right?"

"We're not on American soil. I have no authority," I assured him.

"Right."

We continued to watch the videos together and while I enjoyed watching Allie at various stages in her life, I enjoyed Kol's talking even more. He gave commentary on the videos that I found to be incredibly insightful. Through his words, I gained an even deeper understanding of the woman that was to become my wife. I could have listened to him for hours.

And I did.

Hours later, when the videos finally ended, Kol stood up and yawned. "Well, that was an enjoyable blast from the past, but I need to get some sleep. And so do you." He closed his laptop and scooped it up. "If you need anything during the night, figure it out yourself. Don't you dare wake me up."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I told him and smiled. "I know that you really need your beauty sleep."

He narrowed his eyes at me and then headed for the door. "I won't dignify that with a response. Good night."

"Good night. And Kol?"

Hand on the doorknob, he turned and raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"Thank you," I told him sincerely. "Ever since I read her letter explaining who she really is… I've been wanting to know more about this part of her. Tonight, I feel like I got a great head start on that. So, thank you. It makes all of this a little less painful."

He gave me a small smile. "Happy to be of assistance. And speaking of that part of her… It's gone. I mean… it's her past. _You're_ her present. Just remember that."

It seemed strange – and it didn't completely make sense – but I knew that he had to have a reason for saying it, so I nodded. "I will."

"Good. See you tomorrow." He left, closing the door behind him.

With a sigh, I gathered the flash drives and put them away, making a mental note to ask Allie to watch them with me once we were safe. Kol had given me some interesting insight on Allie, and I was sure that Allie had equally interesting insight about the Kol in these videos. I also wanted her side of the stories.

There was a bathroom attached to my room, and I used it to take a long shower. That's what Allie had liked to do when she was stressed out or just needed to relax. But it wasn't as relaxing for me, because I could only think of all of the times that I had showered with Allie back in Hawaii. It made me think that you never know when the 'last time' will come, and I hated that I hadn't realized how special those showers were until now.

"It's not the last time," I whispered to myself past the lump in my throat. We were going to have showers together once we were back home. I had to keep telling myself that she was coming back, or I would lose all hope.

Everyone had agreed that Medici would not harm her or the baby, and I had to trust them. They knew him much better than I did. Still… he had taken her away from me and was keeping her hidden. That didn't exactly make me want to believe that he would be good to her. But… for the sake of my sanity, I had to put all of that out of my head.

The bed felt empty without Allie beside me. Even when I closed my eyes, the empty space felt large enough to swallow me whole. I missed her with every fiber of my being, and nothing would feel right until I got her back.

And I _would_ get her back. No matter what it took.

With that determined thought in mind, I forced my mind to calm until I could finally drift off to sleep. And in my dreams, we were together again, just as it should be.


	35. Ancient History

**...**

 **Welcome back to another chapter of what I hope has been an enjoyable story for you so far. We are on chapter five now, which means… this is the last chapter to get your votes in! Should Steve and Allie's baby be a boy or a girl? Remember: even if you have already voted once, you can vote again. In fact, you can vote until chapter 6 is posted. So, review or private message me to get your votes in.**

 **Another reminder: I take a lot of artistic license with the characters and the premise of the show. So, if something seems kind of off to you, that would be why.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. I appreciate all of the support that I've been given as I've embarked on the journey of writing this fic. I never thought that it would receive the response that it has, and I wanted to thank you all again.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Five: Ancient History_

Allie

"Thank you for meeting me," Medici said once we were both seated at his requested table at the most exclusive café in Paris. The flowers in the crystal vase on the table were fresh, and I almost smiled a little when I realized that the smell didn't get to me at all. The medication was working wonders.

"Of course," I said, when what I really wanted to say was, _'as if I had any other option'_. "But I take it this isn't just a casual breakfast."

He ordered waters and espressos for the both of us and waited until our server had walked away. "Mostly casual. I also wanted to check in. Is the medicine helping with your morning sickness?"

There was a flash of anger at the fact that he thought my pregnancy was any of his business, but I trampled it down for the sake of my brother. For him, I would be on my best behavior with the man that I wanted to throw into the middle of the ocean. Or something much, _much_ worse. "It is."

"Excellent. You are back to planning the heist, then?"

Unfortunately. "I am. I've been committing the blueprints to memory."

"Is that all?" He sounded like he had expected me to be nearly done with such a large job. But of course, a man like him wouldn't have the slightest clue about how intricate such a job was. When he wanted something, he could either pay for it, or pay someone to steal it for him. He didn't have to do the dirty work himself. The rest of us didn't have that luxury.

"That's all." I was doing my best to keep my temper in check. "This is the _Kingsley Museum_ that we're talking about. As far as security goes, theirs is top of the line. It's not just a smash and grab. This has to be elegant and precise. That takes time. Planning. Research."

Our drinks arrived just then and I busied myself taking a few small sips of espresso. Once the server was gone, Medici nodded with some reluctance and picked up his own espresso. "Fine. As long as it gets done. Is there anything that I can do to… speed things along?"

"Not at this stage, no." _Not unless you want to just let my brother go and pay someone else to do this for you_. But he had gotten me because I was the most likely to successfully complete the job, so the odds of him just letting me leave were slim to none.

He sighed. "Very well. Do you know what you would like to have for breakfast?"

Once we had both ordered, he tried some small talk. The weather, Paris… but it soon became evident that I wasn't all that interested in talking to him and he began to eat his breakfast in silence. That was fine with me, as I had plenty to occupy my mind. Not just the heist, but the baby as well. I couldn't help but wonder if it would be a boy or a girl, what it would be like, who it would look like…

Once breakfast had concluded, Medici's car pulled up in front and we both climbed in. I wasn't ready to head back to my prison of a hotel suite, but at least it would keep me away from my captor. Medici was really a pleasant man… when he wasn't kidnapping your brother and forcing you to commit a crime to get him back. I hated that it had ever come to this.

Back at the hotel, Medici escorted me up to my room, both to be a gentleman and to make sure that I didn't try to run away. As if I could run away knowing that he would hurt my brother if I did. But, I supposed that it always paid to be cautious.

Inside of the suite, I tossed my jacket onto the table, noting that the place looked like it had been cleaned. I had asked if I needed to put all materials away when I left – for the sake of the maids that were coming to clean – but Medici said that he had already paid them off. Of course. Not that I would complain, since that meant less work for me.

I got myself a bottle of water and then walked over to the blueprint, rolled up on the coffee table. Once unrolled, it showed me every inch of the Kingsley Museum, including where the security cameras were. I had been looking over it for days, trying to figure out how I could get around without being seen. Unfortunately, a way had yet to present itself. Their security system was the most advanced that I had ever worked with and even with a crew, it seemed impossible. I wished that I had a tech guy to consult with, but Medici had cut me off from all family and friends. I was on my own.

 _Don't give up_ , I warned myself. _You can't afford to give up_. With a hand over the spot in my abdomen where the baby was growing, I took a deep breath. If nothing else, I had to do it for my baby. Medici would never hurt me or my baby, but I knew that he would hurt Trent – or even _Steve_ – if he felt like that would motivate me. And my baby deserved all of the family that I'd had growing up.

"I won't give up," I whispered to myself, and then went back to studying the blueprint.

My father's voice entered my head just then, a true blast from the past. _"Just formulate a few plans_ ," he said, just as if he was sitting beside me, coaching me. _"They don't have to be good ones. Just get the ball rolling_."

My uncle's voice chimed in. _"Form a plan, and then rip it apart. Fix the issues. One step at a time_."

If only they really _were_ coaching me through this. I couldn't think of any two people better suited to such a heist. Except, perhaps, for the woman that had put me in this position in the first place by stealing the box so long ago…

I grew angry then. Angry that she had stolen the box in the first place, for no conceivable reason. Angry that _I_ was the one saving _her_ son when she should have been here, just as concerned as I was. Angry that she had ever left us. Angry that she probably wouldn't care even if she knew what was going on. Angry that she had preferred being a con artist to being any kind of mother.

"I'll never leave," I whispered to my baby. "Not by choice, anyway." I would have to be put into a grave before I would leave my child the way that my mother had left me.

 _A plan, Allie. Form a plan._

Right.

I sighed, grabbed the nearby notepad, and began to scribble out a plan. What I would do if I _had_ to try to steal the music box _today_. It was a horrible plan, but at least it was something.

 _Now, find the flaws and fix them_.

Right.

By the time that I was done, nearly the whole page was scribbled out and I had two pages of notes.

But that was progress.

I got myself another bottle of water and a bag of chips, and then dove back in.

Steve

"Is there really a point to this?" I whispered to Kol, who didn't even blink at the sound of my voice.

"We were always taught to know our mark," he responded, not looking away from his laptop screen. "Therefore, research about the box would be important."

I turned my attention back to my own laptop, telling myself that there had to be a point. Unfortunately, my mind was whirling at a million miles an hour and I couldn't concentrate. Besides, they were all more experienced at research than I was, so I was sure that they could learn everything that they needed to without an extra set of eyes. Especially a set of eyes that thought that this was all useless.

 _We should be out there_ doing _something_ , the fierce, protective part of my brain was yelling at me. _Sitting around doing research on the music box isn't going to get her back. We need to figure out where they're keeping her brother, raid it and get him back safely, and then get Allie back._

I knew that I needed to take a break before I went off. "I'm going to go for a walk," I said to Kol.

He looked at me and I could tell that he knew how pointless I found this exercise. "Sure. Don't go too far."

"Just on the grounds," I assured him and closed my laptop screen, relieved that I could get away from it for a while.

I slipped out the back door and began to walk through the gardens that were so immaculately kept, even though Edward had said that he only lived here about half of the year. There was one flower in particular – a bright orange beauty – that reminded me of Hawaii and made me homesick.

It reminded me of when I'd been sent away from the island by my father after my mother had died in that terrible accident. The military academy had been my home for a while, and it was located within walking distance of the beach. For the first few months after my arrival, I had gone to the beach every single day and stared at the waves, hoping that it would make me feel at home. But all that it had served to do was make me more and more homesick. In the end, I had avoided the beach as much as possible. It was easier that way.

If only there was a way to get away from everything that reminded me of Allie. But her pictures were all over the house (Kol had told me that Edward had never had children of his own, so his niece and nephews were his pride and joy). Her twin brother reminded me so much of her in his looks and in the way that he carried himself. Her name was spoken almost every five minutes.

And every night, she visited me in my dreams. Usually, it was just a memory from our time together on the island. But sometimes, she was holding our newborn baby in her arms, glowing like the sun as she told me that she'd never been happier. Those dreams were the worst because, while they made me extremely happy in the moment, my heart ached terribly when I woke up and realized that she wasn't beside me.

If we didn't get her back soon, I knew that I would become mad.

My phone began to buzz in my back pocket and I pulled it out, mostly distracted. When I saw Danny's name and photo on the display, I felt just a tad lighter. "Hey, Danno."

"I already regret calling," he said on the other end. "Is this a bad time?"

"No. I'm just taking a break from researching the box. I actually welcome the distraction. How is everybody?"

"Good; we're good. Worried about you and Allie, of course. Any progress?"

"Not enough." I felt myself run my hand through my hair, a nervous habit that I'd yet to break. "I know that I promised to do things their way, but… it's really hard, Danny. I mean… it's so… _slow_. Like right now, we're doing research on the box that Medici wants her to steal. Or that they _think_ he wants her to steal. What if they're wrong? What if he wants her to steal something else entirely? They should just let me try to figure out where he's holding Trent and-"

Danny stopped me. "That's your control issues talking, buddy." He and Kol would have gotten along great. "This is their world, you know? Maybe just trust that they want her back just as much as you do and they think that this is the best way to do it. They've already assured you that Medici would never hurt a woman and an unborn child, right?"

"So they say." I still wasn't one hundred percent convinced. Men like him… well… you could never know for sure. "What's your point?"

"That there's no rush. Do the research and have a plan. Because that normal Steve McGarrett style stuff is going to get you and a lot of other people shot at. I should know, okay? Because I'd been your partner for less than two hours the first time that you got me shot."

"You're never going to let that go." Though, he wasn't lying.

"Never," he assured me. "Is there anything that we can do to help?" He asked me that every time that he called and I knew that he genuinely wanted to help. Knew that he cared about Allie and about me. I also knew that Kono and Chin were constantly dogging him for answers or ways that they could help.

"Maybe…" I'd been doing some thinking. "Do you think that you guys could box my stuff up and move it over to Allie's? We were planning on living there after we got married and… well… we'll obviously want to be moved in before the baby gets here. And since we have no idea how long _this_ is going to take…"

"I almost feel like all of this was an elaborate scheme to get me to move all of your stuff for you."

I desperately wished so. "You really don't have to. It was just an idea that I was kicking around."

"I'm only kidding, buddy. We'd love to. We'll get Kamekona in on it too. He's a big man… he can probably pick the couch up all by himself."

"We're keeping all of Allie's furniture." It was newer and much nicer than my stuff. "I think I'll probably end up putting all of that furniture in a storage shed. At least until I figure out what to do with it. But I can take care of that when I get back."

"No, no," he told me. "We're happy to do it. I'll get right on it."

I smiled as I imagined Danny bossing everyone around while they boxed up all of my things. "I appreciate it."

"Hey, no problem. You just work on getting Allie and that baby back safe and sound. I can't wait to watch you change a diaper."

Yeah… I couldn't wait, either. Being a father… sometimes, the idea was still so strange to me. "Is it hard?" The question was out before I could really stop it.

"What, changing a diaper?" he asked me. "I mean… you take the old one off, wipe down the bottom, put a new diaper on… It's not rocket science, Steven. You'll figure it out."

I rolled my eyes even though I knew he couldn't see me. "Not changing diapers. Being a dad." I was almost sorry that I had asked him.

But when he spoke again, all of the humor was gone from his voice. "Honestly? Yes. Being a dad is the _hardest_ thing that I have _ever_ done. First, you're up with a crying baby at all hours of the night and you feel like a freaking idiot all of the time because there's always something new to learn. And then you're chasing a toddler around the house, praying that they don't break their head while you take a minute to go to the bathroom. And then they're off to school and some kid is being mean to them and you wonder if it would be worth the jail time to hit a kid. And then they're in middle school and not wanting to be seen with you. And… well… I haven't gotten past that stage yet. Yes, it's _really_ hard."

My head was spinning. "Sorry I asked."

"I wasn't done," he said. "Yes, it's _extremely_ hard. But it's also the most rewarding thing in the world. I promise you, Steve, you're going to hold that baby for the first time and it'll be like everything you've ever done in your whole life was just leading you up to that moment. Nothing will ever be the same, and it'll all be worth it. I wouldn't trade being a father for anything."

"Sometimes I just wish that I had _my_ dad here to talk about it with." I often found myself wondering what he would have said to me. What advice he would have given me about how to be a good dad. I wished that he could meet his grandchild, and I knew that he would have been so great with him/her.

"You're going to do great," he told me. "And you have a wonderful woman to parent with. That kid is lucky."

"Thanks, Danny."

"You're welcome. Oh, and… there's something I should probably mention…"

I steeled myself at his cautious tone, praying that nothing bad had happened on the island while I'd been gone. There hadn't been anything in the news, last I checked, but you could never be totally sure. "What's that?"

"Catherine's back."

Feeling like I'd been punched in the gut – that's what I'd been expecting. Or maybe a flutter in my stomach at the mention of her name, just like it had always happened before when I heard her name. But what I felt was… mild curiosity. Nothing romantic. "Okay?"

Danny seemed relieved that I sounded fine with it. "She's on leave. Came in yesterday because she waited around at your house for a day and night and then realized that you probably weren't coming home. She came to ask if you were at training or visiting Mary."

"What did you tell her?"

"Most of the truth," he said. "I told her about Allie and how you two had fallen in love and gotten engaged. I told her that Allie had been taken and you were away with Allie's family, trying to get her back. I didn't go into a lot of detail."

"How did she take it?" I wasn't in love with her anymore, but I still cared about her feelings. I hoped that she hadn't been crushed by the news – hoped that she hadn't come back to try to work things out between us.

"She was… surprised. I got the impression that she was a little hurt by the news, but she said that she was happy that you'd found someone. She asked if there was anything that she could do to help, and said to let you know that she can be there if you need her help."

"I'll keep that in my back pocket for now." I was thankful that it hadn't been worse for her. "Anything else you need to tell me?"

"Not that I can think of. Let us know if you need anything. We can jump on a plane and be there in a day."

I so badly wanted to take him up on that offer, but Hawaii needed Five-O. They were already down one member, and I didn't want to take away more. "Will do. Keep the island safe."

"Doing my best." He said goodbye and then hung up.

I had just slipped the phone back into my pocket when Kol called me from the back door. Cursing at the thought of having to do more research, I made my way over to him and he waved for me to follow him inside.

"I think we're all done with research on the music box. Max is going to present it to everybody so that we're all on the same page," he said.

"Sounds great." Great that I wouldn't have to do any more research, at least.

And great if we were another step closer to rescuing Allie and my child.


	36. False Alarm

… **..**

 **Thanks for returning to another chapter of this story! I think that I'm finally back into the swing of things after the arrival of my second baby boy, so I'll hopefully be posting a chapter once a week – possibly more, if there's high demand. Thursdays and Fridays are usually the best days for me to post, but Saturdays are certainly not ruled out, if my week is particularly crazy. Feel free to hold me accountable.**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, private messaged, favorited, and followed. I appreciate each show of support for the story and for me. Also, this is the sixth chapter of part two, so voting on the gender of Steve and Allie's baby is officially closed. I should probably tell you the results, but… I have to have** _ **something**_ **to surprise you with! Don't hate me – you won't have to wait until the very end.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Six: False Alarm_

Allie

I had been expecting the knock, otherwise the loud rapping would have startled me. With a sigh of resignation that this was my life for the moment, I set my banana nut muffin aside and moved for the door. On the other side stood Medici, accompanied by one of his guards, whom he told to wait just outside the door. The guard hesitated as if I were a serial killer rather than a former con artist, but he obeyed his boss.

"You have something for me?" The excitement was evident in Nicolas' voice as he closed the door behind himself.

Deciding to throw his ever-important manners into his face, I gestured to the table. "Good morning, Nicolas. Would you care for a muffin? I had them delivered from that bakery on the corner."

The flash of irritation in his eyes told me that he knew exactly what I was doing, but he donned his manners like armor and gave me a polite smile. "No, thank you. I've already had breakfast. You asked me to come?"

"I did. Please, sit." I took my own seat and watched him take the one across from me. "I have the beginnings of a plan."

The excitement returned. "The beginning of a plan is better than no plan at all. I'm eager to hear it."

"I realized my problem with the planning thus far," I said as I slowly peeled away the last of the paper from my muffin. "Looking at a blueprint is nothing compared to seeing the security system in action."

His dark brows furrowed together. "I'm not following."

For such a smart businessman, he had a hard time putting things together sometimes. "I'll never know how to beat the security system if I can't _see_ it."

"We don't have anyone on the inside that can-"

I cut him off. "We don't _need_ someone on the inside. I just need someone to trip the system."

"On purpose," he clarified.

"We used to do it all of the time when we were dealing with a complex system," I told him. "Use someone to trip the system and then watch what happens. That tells you more about a location's security than anything else will."

"Who do you suggest we send in to trip the system, then?" he asked me. "It obviously can't be you. I'm assuming that they detain whoever it is for proper questioning."

I nodded. That was what I expected would happen. "But if it was an accident, they won't hold them for long. Maybe one of your guys can do it."

He was loathe to get one of his men arrested, but he wanted the music box very, _very_ badly. "Yes. I can get one of them to do it. When would you like this done?"

"Today." At his look of surprise, I shrugged innocently. "You want the music box as soon as possible, don't you? This will allow me to formulate a plan."

Resolved, he nodded and stood. "I will ask for volunteers. What should I have them do?"

"Tripping and falling into a display should do. I'm planning to go to the museum at one. Anytime after that is fine. I'll have a camera rolling the whole time."

"I will let you know once he is inside," he told me with a nod and then moved for the door. "I look forward to moving forward with a plan." And then he was gone.

With a sigh, I returned my attention to the muffin in front of me, reduced to crumbles at my nervous hands. It had been so long since I'd pulled any kind of heist and though I believed that the training never truly left you, I knew that it could become rusty from misuse. That's what had happened to Adam Hall in Egypt…

 _No negativity today_ , I warned myself and went to get a fork. _You don't have to trip the alarm. You just have to be there and film everything_. That wouldn't be too challenging, thanks to the jacket camera I'd had Medici get me. Whoever his tech guy was, he was pretty good. Not as good as the tech guys that _I_ knew, but passable.

Passable enough that he would be able to tell if I had communicated with Steve, whether that be by e-mail, chat, or text message. So, no matter how badly I wanted to talk to my fiancé, I restrained myself. Trent's life was at stake.

It grew closer and closer to time to go, so I reluctantly pulled my hair up into a high ponytail so that no strands would block the camera at the base of the hood. I dressed in jeans and a plain white tee, and then slipped the thin black jacket over it before pulling on a pair of sneakers to round out the outfit. I kept makeup minimal, as I wanted to fly under the radar. I'd been going to the museum quite a bit, so I always tried to appear as unrecognizable as possible.

The museum was only a short walk from the hotel, as both were in the richest part of the city of Paris. It held the best bakeries, the best cafes, the best museums, and the best hotels. If the circumstances were different, I was sure that I would have loved spending time there. It would have been a lovely vacation.

But the circumstances were _not_ different, and I hated everything about it.

I paid the museum entrance fee with the card that Medici had given me to cover expenses and then I wandered in, looking around at all of the art. My cover was that I was an exchange student studying art, and to keep that cover I had already visited several other art museums in the area. But there was something different about the Kingsley Museum… a superiority. I wasn't sure whether it was the displays or the elegance of the building itself, but I knew that it was probably my favorite museum in the world.

Too bad I would never be able to return to it after I robbed it. Too risky.

Time marched steadily onward and I snuck the occasional glance at my cell phone, having forgotten my watch back at the hotel. Pregnancy brain was not a con's best friend, by any stretch of the imagination. Just as I was thinking that it should be getting close to time, I received a text message from Medici.

 _He'll trip the alarms in the west wing_. _Ten minutes_.

That didn't give me a lot of time, but I responded well under pressure. Breaking away from a small group of college kids that I'd been hiding near, I headed down the nearest hallway. It would take me as close to the archives as I could get. _That's_ what I needed to film, as the music box was supposedly stashed in the archives.

 _How are you going to_ find _the box once you're even in the archives_? The logical side of my brain wondered. _There has to be at least a thousand items in there. And the music box isn't even a logged item; your mother just stashed it there. How long are you going to need?_

"One step at a time," I muttered to myself and checked my phone as I twisted down another hallway. The archives were close, but this was as far as I could go without arousing suspicion. I made it a point to look around as though I were terribly lost.

 _One more minute…_

Just then, a security guard came from the break room that was, unfortunately, right next to the secured double doors that led to the archives.

 _Think fast,_ I could hear my Uncle Edward bark at me and suddenly, I felt as though I were six years old again, on my first heist with him. That time, I'd distracted the guard by falling and pretending to be hurt.

This time, I approached the guard with a confused expression. "Excuse me? Do you speak English?"

He was startled to find someone so close to the archives, but relaxed when he saw that it was only a woman. Fool. "Yes," he said in heavily accented English. "I speak English. This is a highly restricted area."

"I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I got separated from the group that I was with and I seem to have gotten turned around. How do I get back into the main part of the museum?"

"I'll walk with you," he told me, and gestured for me to follow him.

 _Perfect_. When reviewing the footage later, no one would suspect the woman that asked a security guard for help. Criminals stayed _away_ from security.

Before I could follow, the alarms began to sound and I covered my ears. They were loud and piercing – enough to startle the guard into looking around. That gave me enough time to point the camera at the doors to the archives. I would have to watch the footage later to find out if anything else happened. I saw bars, but red lights were flashing and making it impossible to see if there were any extra features.

"Come with me!" the guard shouted over the noise and beckoned for me to follow him.

With any luck, he would escort me away from the archives and right out of the museum.

I nodded and followed him closely. Medici's man had done his job well and, with any luck, I would be a step closer to forming a plan to rob the Kingsley Museum.

Steve

"Uh… guys?" The tech guy – Roger, maybe? – spoke up from the corner, where he'd been monitoring something on his laptop. "The alarms at the Kingsley Museum just went off."

When I saw Kol's face pale, I grew panicked. "Is it Allie?"

"I'm not hearing anything yet," Roger said and put his headphones on. "The police are responding."

"Let's go," Allie's dad said, and I followed without hesitation. Her father and Edward sat in the front of the car, and Kol and Max climbed into the backseat with me. We were off in a flash, heading for the Kingsley Museum.

"It's only a few minutes away from here," Kol assured me when he saw how tightly wound I was. "We'll see what's going on."

But I knew that he was picturing the worst scenario, much like I was. What if Allie had tried to break in, ended up tripping an alarm, and was now facing years in prison? Maybe she had been the best once upon a time, but she hadn't pulled a heist in _years_. What if that was her downfall?

"Pull up here," Edward said, and Allie's father obediently pulled up along the curve and parked, leaving the car running.

I was about to ask where the museum was, but then I saw it because police cars were stopping in front of it and officers were running inside.

"Call Roger," Edward told Kol, and I was only vaguely aware that I had been right about his name. "See what he's hearing."

With my heart thudding in my chest, I watched as more officers arrived and stayed outside of the building, forming some kind of perimeter. At the doors, more officers and museum security guards were slowly letting people out of the museum after they'd checked them.

"Roger," Kol said into his phone. "Are you hearing anything?"

There was a pause.

"He's linked to their system," Kol said and listened. "The museum reported… a man tripped the alarm when he fell into a display."

A man. Not Allie, then.

Relief flooded through me, until I heard Edward say, "Allie's partner, perhaps?"

Kol spoke again before I could ask any questions. "Right now, they have no reason to believe that anything is amiss. It looks like a genuine accident. They're taking the man down to the station, though, just to be on the safe side."

"Ask him to look at the footage to see if Allie was inside," Max requested, and Kol passed that along.

"It's going to take him a while to look through all of that footage," Allie's father pointed out. "It's almost two in the afternoon and the museum opens at nine. Should we stick around and see if we can spot her coming out?"

"Yes," everyone else in the car responded at the same time.

"He's looking," Kol added.

Edward pointed to a spot that had opened up down the street. "Move down there. It has a better eyeline to the door of the museum."

"What if she's wearing a disguise?" Max asked as the car pulled away from the curb.

I hoped that she wasn't. To be able to get a glimpse of her would do a lot to lighten my heart. To know that she was okay…

"Look sharp," Edward told us as the car settled against the curb in its new spot. "I'm going to get out and walk around a bit." As he spoke, he reached into the bag at his feet and pulled out a hat and some glasses.

"I could come, too," I offered.

"We don't know if Medici is watching cameras, Steve," Kol told me. "Better that we let Edward go alone."

Edward exited the car and headed down the street, walking with purpose.

"Should we even be out here if they're watching the security cameras?" I asked. I wanted to see Allie more than anything, but if it would get her into trouble…

"The windows are tinted enough that we won't be recognized. Now, we should all be watching for Allie," Max said, not looking away from the window.

He was right. I turned my attention to the people exiting the museum, slowly moving through the lines manned by police officers and security guards. They were patted down, and then allowed to leave. Clearly, the museum was being shut down for the day.

"Hold on a second…" Kol was suddenly leaning up against my shoulder, peering out the window. "I think… I think I see her."

"Where?" My heart was racing like it had just been jump started and I found myself practically in Max's lap to try to see out the window, which he was none too thrilled about. But I didn't care; I just needed to see her.

Kol pointed. "Skinny jeans, black jacket. Her hair is up in a ponytail. Look, she's moving past the guard right in the middle."

I followed the line of his finger and then I saw her, walking steadily away from all of the chaos like it didn't affect her at all.

"No!" Max was pushing me back and I was startled, not having realized that I was trying to get out of the car and go to her. "Kol!"

From behind me, Kol grabbed my arm. "Steve, you can't!"

"I have to see her!" The desperation that I heard in my own voice was potent and raw. "Just for a second!"

But then I heard the click and looked down to see that Kol had handcuffed my wrist to his own. When I glared at him, he shrugged innocently. "Oops."

"Give me the key," I growled.

"Can't. Left it at the house."

Of course he did. Otherwise, I felt like I could have beaten it out of him. "Kol, come on."

"I want to see her, too. Believe me. But if Medici is having this area watched like I suspect he is, then we can't risk it. Trent might die, and Allie would never forgive herself or us. I'm sorry." And I could see that he truly was, but that didn't make it any better.

I turned my attention back to Allie, who was now almost directly across the street from us, her ponytail blowing in the breeze. She kept her head down, determined to get to where she was going. I prayed for her to look over at me, but she didn't. Instead, she moved right past the car and kept walking until she had disappeared around the corner.

I sighed as I faced forward again, determined not to cry. With a shake of my arm, I said, "Seriously, Kol, you can unlock these now."

He gave me a sheepish smile. "Seriously, I left the key at the house." At my annoyed look, he defended himself. "What?! I figured that if I had it, you'd beat me up to get it and get to Allie. Actually, I figured that you'd try to find the key even if I told you that I didn't have it. Better safe than sorry."

"And now we're locked together." The only person I would be _more_ annoyed at being cuffed to was Danny. Thank goodness Danny wasn't here. "Wonderful."

"Not for long," he reminded me. "We're about to go back. Right, Dad?"

Allie's father had been remarkably quiet up front and I looked at him, noting the expressionless mask that he wore. "Yes. As soon as Edward returns to us."

Almost as if someone had paged him, Edward opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. "I did not see her."

"We did," Max said and filled his uncle in as we headed back towards the house. Edward was, of course, relieved that it hadn't been Allie that had been caught at the museum.

"She will be getting close now," he said as we pulled up to the gate.

"Yes," Allie's father agreed as he typed in the code.

"What do you mean?" I had lost them. It happened frequently when they spoke like their minds were connected.

Kol was the one that explained. "Whenever we came up against a security system that was really hard to crack, we'd set it off."

"So, she already has the box?" My heart soared at the possibility of seeing her again sooner than I'd anticipated.

Kol frowned. "No. Don't interrupt. Anyway, setting the system off enables you to video what happens when the system is triggered. Kind of like…"

"Watching game film," Max supplied with a glance at me. "You're American. You like sports." Not a question.

I ignored him and turned my attention to Kol as the car rolled to a stop inside of the large garage. "So, what now?"

We all climbed out and Kol answered my question. "Now, she'll have to review the footage and form some kind of plan."

"And _we_ ," Edward jumped in, "will be keeping a very close eye on the museum. Tell Roger that I want him linked with all of the street cameras in the area to look for any sign of her. When she moves, I want to be ready to back her up as best we can."

Allie's father and Edward went off for a walk, Max wandered off, and Kol gestured for me to follow him into the house. "The key is in my bedroom."

"I still can't believe that you _cuffed_ me," I muttered, but followed him. As if I had much of a choice.

"You weren't exactly listening to reason. I just anticipated that."

He was right, annoyingly. "How long do you think it'll be before she moves on the museum?" Seeing her had been great for my spirit, but not so much so for my patience. I wanted her back _now_.

"Hard to say. The fact that she had to trip the system means that she's having a hard time coming up with a plan. But now that she has the film…" He shrugged as we reached the second-floor landing. "If it's helpful, she could move within a week. If not, maybe more like three or four."

"A month." That seemed like years.

Kol's smile was sympathetic as he opened the door to his bedroom and led me inside. "We're doing all that we can in the meantime." He grabbed the key off of his bedside table and moved to unlock the cuffs.

"All that we can isn't enough," I said and rubbed my wrists where the cuffs had chafed.

The sadness in his eyes mirrored my own. "I know."


	37. Picture Perfect

… **..**

 **Thank you for coming back to another chapter of this story! The support so far has been incredible, and I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or private messaged. I appreciate you more than I can even express. I never expected to get more than one hundred reviews, so to know that I'm even higher than that is amazing.**

 **Quick reminder: I only use the characters and the premise of the show. So, if something seems off – like the timeline, etc. – just know that yes, it was intended. Same goes for when characters may seem slightly OOC.**

 **Thanks for continuing to read, and I hope that you enjoy the newest chapter!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Seven: Picture Perfect_

Allie

The woman that called my name was in her mid-sixties, smiling kindly and dressed in pale blue scrubs. I stood and left Medici's guard sitting there, staring at the TV on the wall. He wasn't interested in the medical informational channel, but it would look odd if he stared at nothing.

"Hi," the woman greeted me as I approached. "How are you today?"

"Great." _Lie_. "And you?"

"Wonderful, thank you. Right this way." She led me down a now-familiar hallway and we paused long enough for her to get my blood pressure, pulse, and weight.

I frowned at the numbers on the scale. I had apparently lost more weight, even though I had been able to eat better now that the morning sickness was cleared up. It wasn't a total shock – I was still as thin as I had ever been – but it still wasn't good. I should have gained back _at least_ a couple of the pounds that I'd lost, right?

"This way." The nurse led me to a room and gestured for me to sit down on the exam table. "Still taking your prenatal vitamin and the Diclegis?"

"Yes."

She typed something into the computer. "Any problems that you need to report?"

"No."

She typed something else. "Today, Dr. Dubois is going to do an ultrasound. You're just over thirteen weeks now, so I think he'll also want to do a blood draw. He likes to head off issues like anemia as soon as he can get to it."

That made sense. "Okay."

She smiled at me as she stood. "If there's nothing else, I'll go and get him for you."

I nodded and she left the room, the door clicking softly behind her. The weight continued to haunt me until the doctor walked into the room, dressed in scrubs with a white coat over them. He smiled warmly at me as he entered.

"How are you doing today?"

"Fine. You?"

"I'm good, thank you." He sat down on the stool and opened up the computer. "Let's see… thirteen weeks now. How is everything going?"

"The Diclegis is working," I said. "I haven't thrown up since I started taking it, so I can eat now. But… I'm not gaining weight. I'm still losing."

He nodded as he scanned the notes on the screen. "I see that. From pre-pregnancy weight, you're down… _fifteen_ pounds."

It might as well have been a hundred. "Is that bad?"

He gave me a comforting smile. "It's not _bad_. We don't look for a lot of weight gain in the first trimester, so you have plenty of time to catch up. Some women just don't gain a lot right at first, and with you, we have to consider the weight that you lost because of the morning sickness. The important thing is that your baby is growing okay, so that's what we're going to be checking today."

"And if it's not?"

He stood and bent down to open a drawer. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. If that's an issue, then we'll talk about it. But I don't anticipate that being the case, okay?"

"Okay."

Straightening up, he handed me a sheet. "You might want to tuck that around the waistband of your jeans. The baby is still pretty low at this point, and I don't want the gel to get them dirty."

I nodded and did as he asked, lying back on the table when I was done. The ultrasound machine was off to the side, and he wheeled it over along with the stool he'd been sitting on. Once he was raised to a comfortable level, he grabbed the gel from the cart.

"Might be a little cold," he warned me and squirted some on my exposed abdomen. It was only slightly chilly; the movies _way_ over-dramatized it.

He moved the wand over my abdomen for a few seconds and then swiveled the screen to face me. "See that?" He was pointing to a white shape, contrasted against the black. I had looked up pictures of ultrasounds so that I would be prepared for what I would see, but my breath was still taken away.

The head was larger than the body, but that was normal, according to my pregnancy book. And the arms… they were… "Is the baby moving or does it just look like that because you're moving the wand?"

"No, watch." Dr. Dubois held the wand still and the baby continued to wave its little arms and kick its little legs. "The baby can move on its own. Quite the wiggler you have. Still a little early for you to be feeling anything, but it'll come soon."

To feel the baby move… I couldn't imagine anything better. Other than actually _holding_ my baby, of course. "When do you think that will happen?"

"When will you feel the baby move?" he clarified. At my nod, he shrugged and handed me a towel so that I could wipe the gel off of my stomach. "Anytime between fourteen and eighteen. You don't have an anterior placenta, so I'm betting on sooner, rather than later. But a lot of first timers don't realize that's what they're feeling at first."

I sat up and pulled my shirt down, tossing the towel into the bin in the corner of the room. Perfect shot. "What's it feel like?"

He shot me a smile as he sat down at the computer and began to type in some information, likely about the ultrasound that he'd done. "I don't know from personal experience, of course, but most women say that it almost feels like butterflies in the tummy, at first, and then it becomes more distinctive as time goes on. My wife described it as more of a stirring."

Nodding, I filed that information away for later. "Does everything check out okay?"

"The baby is growing exactly like we would expect it to," he said, continuing to type. "We'll continue to keep an eye on your weight, but I would suspect that the lack of gain has a lot to do with the severe morning sickness in the beginning. As long as baby is growing fine, we won't have to do anything about it. But…" He turned to face me, clasping his hands together on his knees. "Let's talk about depression."

"Depression?" I was surprised by the topic. "Why?"

"Because you have a relatively high risk. According to the questionnaire that you filled out along with your paperwork, the father is not in the picture."

 _Not by choice,_ I wanted to say, but that wouldn't be wise.

He continued. "You had a rough start to the pregnancy, and you don't have that wonderful support system, as you're in a foreign country. Let me ask you…" He seemed to be treading carefully. "Have you thought about returning to the States?"

I fought back the wave of sobs that threatened to escape. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell him everything and beg him to help me. _Of course, I've thought about returning to the States! It's all that I've been able to think about since I was brought here! I wish that I was home with Steve and Gideon! I want nothing more than that!_

But my brother's life was at stake, so I said none of that. Instead, I nodded slowly. "I've… _considered_ it, yes. And, hopefully, I'll get to go home soon. But I have some school stuff to finish up here first."

He looked like he wanted to say more, but he nodded. "Okay. Just keep in mind that such strenuous travel isn't advisable in the last ten weeks of your pregnancy."

"I'm hoping to make it long before then."

"Good." He nodded again and smiled. "Do you have any questions for me?"

"No, not that I can think of." I vaguely wondered if Steve would have had any questions. "Oh, wait! Were you able to tell the gender?"

Dr. Dubois shook his head and gave me a wide smile. "Not today, but we should be able to tell at your next appointment in three weeks. Are you interested in finding out, or did you want it to be a surprise?"

Part of me wanted to keep it a secret until Steve could be there to find out with me, but I knew that he wouldn't mind if I found out before him. He would understand my need to be as prepared as possible, because he was the exact same way. And if the roles were reversed, I would want him to find out, if only to give himself even more hope in such a dismal situation.

"I'll find out."

"Do you have any guesses?" he asked me. "A lot of moms say that they have a feeling about what the gender will be."

"I've looked up some of the midwives' tales," I admitted, feeling stupid for telling him. "And according to them, I'm having a girl."

"Are you _hoping_ for a girl, or do you want a boy?"

"Either is fine with me. I'll take healthy."

He smiled at me as he stood. "I'll second that. No other questions?"

I shook my head.

"Great. Then, I'll see you in a few weeks."

I left the exam room and stopped at the front desk long enough to grab my reminder for my next appointment. I couldn't wait until I wouldn't need one anymore; until I could go home and find a doctor in Hawaii. I'd been worried, at first, that another doctor wouldn't want to take me on so late in the pregnancy, but Medici had already made some calls and had taken care of everything. There were three OBs in Hawaii that were willing to take me on when I arrived.

Medici's guard escorted me to the car and as we drove through Paris, my mind began to wander. I couldn't believe that I would be able to find out the gender at my next appointment. I wondered what Steve would think – would he want a boy or a girl?

A boy would be great for him; I could picture him teaching him to play football and working on his dad's old car with him. A girl would also be great, though; she would just have to be _extremely_ careful about any boys that she wanted to bring home. And as for me… when I thought about my baby, I almost always thought of it as a boy. But I would just have to wait a few weeks to find out for sure.

There were still so many things to take care of… choosing a name, for one, which I would only be able to do once Steve and I were reunited. Planning a nursery, which would depend upon the gender. Creating a registry, which required a lot of research that I wasn't quite through with, yet. I still needed to finish the baby books that I was reading in my downtime to prepare for taking care of such a tiny human. So much to do… And no one to do it with.

I missed Steve, yes, but… I oftentimes found myself wishing for my mother. Before she had abandoned us for her dream life, I'd been so close to her. I'd always thought that when I had children, she would be there to guide me and offer that advice that only a mother possesses. I didn't even have a sister that I could talk to about it – I had no one. And though I hated the circumstances, I refused to let myself wallow in pity. I needed to stay strong for my baby, if for no other reason.

Back at the hotel, I went straight to my suite and locked myself in, determined to try to finish up the first part of the plan that I was trying to develop. Medici was getting impatient, but I'd told him that the plan needed to be perfect in order for him to obtain his music box. And while the man that he'd sent in to trip the alarm had helped tremendously, there was still so much that was unknown. And it would _remain_ unknown until the last second, unfortunately.

I'd begged him time and time again to let me bring in one of my contacts to help, but he wouldn't. He was convinced that I would try to escape, even though I knew that he would kill my brother if I did. Nothing would convince him to change his mind, so I'd resigned myself to relying on the men of his choice. Men that I'd never worked with before and didn't know I could trust. What could possibly go wrong?

My pen flew across the page as I scribbled out parts of a plan. All around the floor were other parts of the plan, often with lines and scribbles and tears. I hadn't come upon the perfect plan yet.

Soon.

Steve

"You okay?" I asked Kol as I passed him on the stairs. He seemed to be deep in thought.

He snapped out of it and offered me a forced smile. "I was up all night. The techs needed to work on something else, so I offered to take over keeping an eye on the museum security. Boring stuff. I think I drank about a gallon and a half of coffee. I'm headed up to my room to get some sleep."

Yeah, he definitely looked like he could use it. "Yeah, do that."

He nodded and continued to move at a snail's pace up the stairs. I watched him for a moment longer and then finished my descent, drawn towards the kitchen by the smell of bacon.

Three women were in the kitchen, still cooking even though there was more than enough food set out on the counter. Allie's other two brothers were sitting at the table, engrossed in their breakfast and conversation in a language that I didn't speak. Turkish, perhaps?

I grabbed a plate and piled it with bacon first, and then a few over easy eggs and some toast, which I slathered with butter. I poured myself some coffee and then sat at the empty end of the long table, not even drawing a glance from the brothers.

" _Why do your brothers hate me?" I had asked Kol only a few days after arriving. It didn't take an expert on human behavior to notice that they only acknowledged my existence when absolutely necessary. And I'd once heard them telling their uncle that they wished I had stayed in Hawaii and let them "handle family affairs"._

 _Kol had rolled his eyes as he threw a dart at the board, hitting the center. "They hate everyone."_

" _Well, they seem to_ especially _hate me." My dart had gone a little wider than Kol's._

 _He had shrugged. "I don't think they hate_ you _. I think that they hate the idea that their sister didn't tell them anything about you. We all used to be really close, you know? Especially after Mom left. But then Allie left to go and do her thing with the CIA and everything was… different. If I had to take a guess, I'd say that they're just wishing that things could go back to the way that they used to be."_

" _Allie is happy," I'd told him and watched him remove the darts from the board. There was no need to tally points – he'd beaten me soundly. "Shouldn't that be all that they care about?"_

" _In a perfect world." Returning to his spot, he'd handed me a few darts. "They'll come around, I promise. They just take a while to warm up to people. You'll see."_

But it had been several weeks, and they still hadn't seemed to be warming to me. I'd spoken to them a few times in an attempt to be friendly, but I might as well have been trying to make friends with a brick wall. Maybe we just weren't meant to be friends.

I finished up my breakfast, took the plate to the sink, and then went outside. Sitting in the garden was relaxing, and really my only good option for entertainment, since my only real friend staying at the house was asleep.

It was beautiful out there, and I felt peace as I sank down onto one of the benches that faced a beautiful garden bed of purple and red flowers. They reminded me of Allie – beautiful, vibrant… God, I missed her more than I'd ever missed anyone.

It took me a moment to register that my phone was ringing, and I answered it without even checking the display. My assumption was that it was Danny, checking in as he did almost every single day. "McGarrett."

"Steve." But the voice was not Danny's. It was Catherine's.

"Kat…" I couldn't remember the last time that I'd spoken to her… maybe when she left before I could propose to her? That had to be it. And then Allie had come along, and… I felt nothing at all for Catherine. My pulse hadn't accelerated at all upon hearing her voice, and there was no tug in my hearts t. Whatever I had felt for her before, it was gone.

"Hi," she said. "Do you have a minute?"

"This isn't really a great time for me, Cat." It wasn't even that I was busy, just that I knew I wouldn't be able to do her any favors while I was stuck in Paris.

"It's not… I'm not calling to ask anything of you," she said as if she could read my mind from however far away she was. "Danny told me about Allie. I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry and to tell you that if you need _anything_ at all from me, I can be there in a day."

I smiled. "I appreciate that, Catherine. How have you been?"

"Good. I'm really enjoying my work." She briefly told me a little bit about all that she had been doing to help people. She sounded truly happy.

My smile widened. "I'm really glad that you've found fulfilling work. It sounds like you're living your dream."

"It feels like it." Her tone grew sad. "I just wish that I hadn't had to hurt you to get here."

"It was good for me, I think." I held absolutely no resentment. Not anymore, anyway. "Everyone needs one big heartbreak in their life, right?"

Her laugh was wry. "I guess so. And now you have Allie. She sounds amazing."

"She's…" There wasn't just one word that I could use to describe her. It would take a hundred – a thousand – words, and neither of us had that kind of time. "Yeah, I guess 'amazing' is as good a word as any to describe her. Maybe you can meet her sometime."

"I'd like that."

"I would invite you to our wedding, but I'm not sure how you'd feel about that." Would she be jealous? Sad?

"I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to invite myself, but I'd love to come. Watching a close friend marry the woman of his dreams would be nice."

"For me, too," I told her. "You know, if you end up getting married one of these days."

"You'll be the first invitation sent out, but I don't think that'll be happening anytime soon."

"I didn't think it would for me, either," I told her with a laugh. "The right person seems to come along right when you least expect it."

"Well, I can't wait to hear the story of how you and Allie came together."

"It's quite the story," I assured her. "I hated her at first."

"Of course you did." I was sure that she was rolling her eyes at me.

"We'll get together sometime soon," I told her.

"Definitely. And, Steve? I'm really excited to get to watch you be a father."

Tears welled up in my eyes and I hastily wiped them away. "Yeah, I'm really excited, too. Hopefully things will go back to normal quickly."

"I'm sure they will. And seriously, call if you need anything, okay?"

"I will. Thanks, Cat."

"Goodbye, Steve."

"Bye." I hung up the phone and before I could stop, I was crying.


	38. Deception

… **..**

 **Thanks for returning for another chapter of this story and thank you so much to all of you that have reviewed, favorited, followed, or sent me a private message. You've stuck with me through all of these chapters, and I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying reading the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**

 **I'm so sorry about my hiatus; there was a death in the family and I didn't much feel like writing while dealing with that. Please bear with me and have patience for a bit longer. Hopefully I'll be back to a regular schedule soon.**

 **I'm thinking about writing another Hawaii Five-O fiction after I finish with this one, so I wanted to ask you all if that's something you'd be interested in? As I've stated before, I'm still pretty new to this world (and not the biggest fan of the new season), so I didn't know if you all thought this story was good enough to want to read another story by me. Let me know!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eight: Deception_

Steve

"Anything?" I asked Roger as he joined the rest of us at the breakfast table.

"Nothing." He gave me a sympathetic smile and asked Max to hand him the syrup. "We're still taking shifts watching."

"For all the good it's doing us," I muttered.

Everyone wisely didn't try to touch that.

Edward entered the room with a deep sigh. "Is that pancakes I smell?"

"How do you _smell_ pancakes?" Kol gave his uncle a bewildered look. "They don't smell like anything until you put stuff on them."

"Maybe he smelled the homemade maple syrup, genius." Max rolled his eyes at his younger brother as if he was almost intolerable.

Kol didn't seem fazed by it in the least. Rather, he smiled and shrugged. "Perhaps. And thank you so much for the compliment. It's not every day that my genius is recognized." Before Max could rebut, he looked to me. "Steve, did you know that Max works a lot with machines?"

I wasn't entirely sure where he was going with this, but I knew that he had to be going somewhere. "I think Allie mentioned it once."

"Well, it's because he's not as charming as the rest of us. Doesn't relate well to people, poor fellow."

Max opened his mouth to shout back, face red, but their father snapped, "That's enough." His tone left no room for argument, and both Max and Kol stared down at their plates like chastised children.

"Yes, let's speak of something happy." Edward had finished fixing himself a plate of pancakes and was taking a seat next to Roger. "Did anyone catch the opera on TV last night?"

"I did," Roger said. "It was lovely."

They began to speak of the singers and their performances, and I tuned them out. I hadn't been watching much television of late and, even if I had, it wouldn't have been opera. Allie had once mentioned that she enjoyed the occasional opera, though, and I knew that she would have been able to hold her own in such a conversation while I sat at her side, beyond lost.

Once I'd finished my breakfast, I washed my plate and then went upstairs to my room. There wasn't much to do, unfortunately. Everyone was scared that going out into Paris would alert Medici to our presence there, for surely he had people watching security cameras. So, we were holed up like foxes until we could come up with a plan.

As of now, we were working on finding Trent, while also keeping an eye on the museum. An old friend of Edward was tailing Medici as best he could without drawing attention to himself, but Medici was giving nothing away. Likely, he knew that we would be watching him. He mostly just stayed at his residence in Paris and traveled to the occasional restaurant.

I laid down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling, wishing (as I always did) that Allie was there with me. It had been a month since she'd been taken, and it was getting harder and harder every day. I didn't know how much longer I could be patient, but I also knew that I _had_ to; Allie would never forgive me for getting her brother killed.

My phone began to ring and I almost considered letting it roll to voicemail, but the surprise at seeing Catherine's name there changed my mind. "Hey, Catherine. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry if this is a bad time," she began, "but I've been doing some digging. I know that you didn't ask me to, but I thought that maybe I could be helpful."

"Digging on what?" I sat up, suddenly alert.

"On the music box that Danny told me about. He said something about it being Russian, and I have some contacts in Russia from my Navy Intel days, so I reached out. Nothing, really, just made a few calls and sent some e-mails. And, well… I found something that you're not going to like."

My heart stopped. I managed to choke out, "What is it? Don't leave anything out."

"Not in my nature," she assured me. "The box was created by a famed Russian artist and given to the tsar at the time, who intended to give it to one of his daughters for her birthday. Unfortunately, he was killed before he had the chance. The family fell from power and the box was recovered by a very powerful family, who were persuaded to donate it to the government."

My brows furrowed. "Why would the government be interested in a music box?"

"I'm getting there. I see that your patience hasn't improved."

I scowled. "Continue."

"So, the box was given to the military many years after it had been made. They intended to strip the gold to fund weapons, but then a general realized that there was a secret compartment in the box that they could use to hide valuable information."

"Yeah, that's why Medici wants it," I told her. "It holds bank codes or something that an ancestor of his hid in the box."

"The box only went missing forty years ago, Steve. The only ancestor that could have hidden anything in there was his father. Before that, the Russians had it. It went missing from the museum where they were keeping it and they've been searching for it ever since."

Something just wasn't adding up, but I was having trouble putting my finger on it… "Wait… What did the Russians hide in the box?"

Catherine was silent for a moment too long.

"Cat?" I demanded. "What did they hide in the box? Why does Medici want it badly enough to be willing to kill for it?"

She sighed. "The rumor is that nuclear launch codes are inside."

My heart stopped again. "Russian nukes. Medici wants access to Russian nukes. But… _why_?"

"To sell?" she suggested. "To use? I don't know. But my contact is certain that's what was inside the box when it was taken. If I had to put money on it, I would say that Medici never hid money inside. He was keeping the codes to sell."

"And then Allie's mother stole the box and he was unable to sell them."

"Now, I'm guessing someone wants them and is offering Medici a lot of money to get them. Enough that he was willing to kidnap Allie to get the box back."

I squeezed my eyes shut against the panic that was filling my chest. "If all of this is true… and I'm inclined to believe that it _is_ , then that means that we can't let him get his hands on that box. We don't know who the buyer is and we don't know who the target would be."

"I know." Catherine sounded sad, and that made it so much worse. "And Steve… Danny said that this guy had some kind of moral code that wouldn't let him harm Allie or the baby, but…." She didn't want to say it.

I felt a stinging behind my eyes, an indication that I was going to cry. The realization was like a gunshot to the chest. "But how much money would it take to adjust that moral code?"

"Exactly," she said. "Look, I want to help. What can I do?"

But I didn't even know. We were already doing everything that we could… "We're trying to find Trent right now. If we can find and obtain him, then we can extract Allie. Can you do more research on Medici and try to find any and all properties associated with him. It won't be one that he owns outright, but…"

"Got it," she assured me. "I'll start right away. I'll use all of the contacts that I have. We'll get Allie back."

I nodded but was too choked up to speak.

"I'm e-mailing you all of this information so that you can share it with everyone else that's helping you. There's a lot, so I'll have to break it up. Wait about twenty minutes before you check."

"Yeah, will do. And Cat?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." I heard my voice crack and didn't even care. "Thank you for finding this."

"No problem."

We hung up and I began to pace the room. I needed to tell the others about what Catherine had found, but I wasn't ready yet. First of all, I needed her e-mails with all of the information. Secondly, I needed to get myself under control so that I could present it with clarity and answer questions.

I'd been on countless dangerous missions – missions that were so tough that I knew there was a very real possibility that I could die. But fearing for Allie's safety was a million times worse. And fearing for my child… it broke me into pieces.

I fell onto the bed and pressed my face into a pillow as I began to cry. I'd been holding it back for so long in order to be strong, but I knew that I needed some kind of emotional release. A little over twenty minutes later, I was cried out and I hurried to check my e-mail.

Catherine's messages were waiting for me, and I quickly downloaded all of the attachments and began to go through them. She'd already given me most of the information over the phone, but I picked up a few more tidbits with my reading.

When I was through going through the documents – and certain that I was done crying – I gathered my laptop and headed down the stairs, calling for Kol as I did.

"Gather everyone in the living room," I told him, and the look on my face was enough to stop him from asking questions.

Once in the living room, I hooked up my laptop to the TV screen like Roger had shown me and then watched as everyone filed in one by one. Some sat, some stood, and Kol was the last one to enter. He gave me a nod as he took up a position along the back wall, "That's everyone."

"I have a friend that I worked with in Naval Intelligence," I began. "Catherine Rollins. My friend Danny, from back home, told her about Allie and what we were looking for."

Max looked outraged. "That could have put Allie at risk!"

I held up a hand to silence him. "I'd trust her with my life. And without her, we never would have discovered _this_." With a few keystrokes, I brought up the first document. "The music box was created by a Russian artist as a gift for a tsar's daughter. But after the tsars were exterminated, the Russian government got their hands on it."

"We've already looked into the backstory," Max interrupted. I kind of wanted to punch him in the face. "Why are you showing us this?"

"Can you keep your mouth shut and let me finish?" I was definitely through trying to convince him to like me; his eyes narrowed and his face reddened. Off to the side, Kol was fighting – and losing – to keep from grinning.

"Moving on," I said after a moment of silence. "The box only went missing forty years ago."

"I thought that Medici's grandfather had the box and hid the codes inside?" Allie's father asked me. "He's dead for _at least_ fifty years."

"Medici lied about what was in the box." No one seemed too surprised by that. "What the box _actually_ contains is much, _much_ worse than a few bank codes. Turns out, a Russian general decided to hide the nuclear codes in the box and then display the box in a museum."

Edward seemed thoughtful. "No one would suspect that the codes would be there."

"The hiding place was perfect," I agreed. "Until the box was stolen from the museum." I flipped through some of the files on the laptop so that they could see the evidence. "The box was eventually purchased by a Medici – the rumor mill isn't sure which one – and they must have discovered the codes there."

"Russian nukes…" Roger sounded breathless. "It's like an awful conspiracy theory."

"Something like that," Max said, dark eyes locked on me. "So, Medici has the codes to a Russian nuke?"

"We don't think so," I replied. "He loves _money_ , so we think that he wanted to sell the codes. But then someone found out and stole the box from him."

Alex's shock was nearly palpable. "Christine…"

I nodded. "Your wife. She took the box, hid it, and then ran so that Medici wouldn't come after you or your family – only her. Of course, that didn't work in the long run, but… she tried."

Kol looked just as surprised by this news. "So, our mom didn't leave us because she didn't want to be a mother anymore. She left because… she didn't want us to be in danger."

Max was speechless, for the first time since I'd met him.

I pressed on. "The codes must still be inside. Why else would Medici be willing to _kidnap_ someone? Why go to all of this trouble just for a little more money when he already has everything short of the world?"

"It _does_ make sense," Edward sighed. "But it also complicates things. Before, we were willing to do anything to help Allie get the box to Medici and free Trent. Now…"

"Now, we can't let Medici get his hands on those codes." Kol's expression was one of immense sadness. "But if he _doesn't_ get that box…"

"No." Alex's voice was firm as he stood. "Allie is _not_ going to be harmed. Nor is Trent. We'll come up with something."

Max spoke up. "I'll get started working on a replica of the box. We may need it." He looked to me and I saw no resentment there – quite the improvement. "I need as many pictures of the box as you have."

I nodded. "I'll e-mail them to you."

"Good." He stood and moved for the front door. "I'll need materials."

Edward stood and began to follow him. "I'll come with you. You'll need my help."

And then they were gone.

"What do the rest of us do now?" Roger asked uncertainly, looking around at everyone.

Alex answered. "The same stuff we were doing before. Trying to find Trent and keeping an eye on the museum." He then looked to me. "We need to get a message to Allie so that she can help us keep the box from Medici."

Of course, I knew that, but… "That's going to be difficult without being able to get close to her and with Medici's people keeping an eye out for us."

"We'll all be thinking about it," Kol said. "Surely one of us can come up with something."

"Yes," Alex agreed. "And we'll keep an eye out for opportunities. I'll take over surveillance."

Roger, not knowing what else to do, followed Allie's father out of the room. One by one, all of the others also filed out, off to their own respective tasks.

"I can't believe this," Kol said once he and I were the only ones left in the room. He threw himself down onto the couch and pressed the back of his hand against his eyes. "It was complicated before and now it's just borderline _impossible_."

I refused to accept that. "It's not impossible." I sat down on the wingback chair. "Hard, yes, but we have a good team here."

A small smile curled Kol's lips as he looked over at me, eyes weary. "You didn't even grow up in this lifestyle. How do you know how good the team is?"

"For starters, none of you have been caught. And from all that I've heard here, that's not due to a scant amount of crime."

He smiled sheepishly. "You're not planning to turn anyone in when all of this is over, are you?"

"I could never turn in anyone that helped me recover my wife and child."

"She's not your wife yet," he pointed out. "But soon enough. I get your point. Okay." He sat up and sighed. "I'm going to call my contacts back and see if any of them have found anything about where Medici might be keeping Trent."

"I asked Catherine to reach out to her contacts as well."

He nodded as he stood. "Good. She was a big help in figuring out all of this. Just imagine if we let him get his hands on some nuclear launch codes… Wouldn't they have just changed the codes when they realized that they'd been stolen?"

"Ideally," I said. "But apparently, in the Russian system, that's why the codes are impossibly long and have to be hidden so well. In order to _change_ the codes, you need to enter the old codes. Which they can't do, because they don't have the old codes."

"And they can't just disable the nukes so that no one can use them against them?"

"Apparently not," I sighed. "They can't get close enough to them without the codes."

"Those damn codes."

"I think they're hoping that someone just stole the box for its beauty and will never realize what they have."

"That _would_ be ideal." Kol gave me a small smile and then began to leave the room. "I'll be in my room making some calls if you have another breakthrough."

The living room was quiet with everyone gone, and I gave myself the task of organizing all of the hard copies of the information Catherine had sent. Once it was organized, I began to read through it again, determined to know it so well that I wouldn't need the documents anymore.

I needed to come up with a plan to get that information to Allie.

As quickly as possible.

Allie

The pasta had been marvelous. Almost as good as you could find in Italy, but not quite. Still, I'd requested chicken alfredo because I seemed to be craving it all of the time. One of the more positive effects of pregnancy.

"A nice bottle of white would be really lovely right about now," I sighed as I cleaned up the dining table. "But, apparently, one cannot drink while pregnant." One of the more _negative_ sides to pregnancy.

Once everything was cleaned up, I decided that it was time to go to bed. I had done enough heist planning for the day, and I was very, _very_ tired. Pregnancy tired was even worse than out-all-day-on-a-mission tired.

In the bathroom, I took a long shower and tried to keep my thoughts away from all of the memories of my showers with Steve. I'd found that I was a lot more productive when I _didn't_ think about him, even though I missed him terribly and wanted to just picture him all day long.

What I missed most was his involvement in the pregnancy. He hadn't been there for the morning sickness, or any of my ultrasounds so far, or the cravings. I just hated it.

Once out of the shower and dressed in my comfy pajamas, I put my hair up in a towel to dry and got started on my nighttime skincare regimen. Pregnancy hormones were not doing any favors for my skin, so I had dedicated myself to a very strict regimen with all of the best products (thanks to Medici's deep pockets).

After my hair was dry and I was ready for bed, I stared at myself in the full-length mirror in the bedroom. I didn't _look_ any different, thanks in large part to the morning sickness that had made me lose weight rather than gain. In fact, I didn't look even a little pregnant. Probably a good thing, from the standpoint of pulling a heist.

I was about to turn away when I felt it… a flutter.

"Was that…?" I wondered aloud, but I didn't even finish the sentence before I felt it again.

The baby had moved.

And I had felt it for the first time.

Unbidden tears sprang to my eyes and fell before I had a chance to compose myself. It was such a joyous occasion…

And my joyous tears turned to angry sobs as I realized that Steve had missed yet another pregnancy milestone.


	39. Old Friends

… **..**

 **Hi, everyone! Welcome back to another chapter of my story! Thank you all so much for sticking with me. It's been a rough year, but writing this has really helped me out. Hopefully, I'm back to a regular upload schedule. As always, feel free to give me a nudge if I'm falling behind.**

 **Thanks so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. I really appreciate all of the support that I've received. It really keeps me going, even when I have the worst writer's block of my life (like with this chapter).**

 **Also, someone asked me what I don't like about the newest season. That's such a hard question… I miss Kono and Chin very much, obviously, and now Adam is gone as well and that's a bit much for me. (But he has to come back eventually because of the gun thing, right? Right?) And as much as I hate to say it, McGarrett is getting older and he just seems different to me. I still enjoy the show, don't get me wrong, just not quite as much as I did when I first got into it. Let me know what you like and dislike about the newer seasons! I love hearing all of your opinions!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Nine: Old Friends_

Steve

I woke to a pounding on my bedroom door.

In my groggy state, I rolled over and expected to find Allie there, only to come fully awake when I realized that she wasn't there. I was in France – the City of Love, even – without her, and it made me ache. Every morning, I went through the same thing without her.

Again, there was pounding on my door.

"Hold on," I called out in a gruff voice. "I'm coming."

I swung my feet over the side of the bed and approached the door, opening it to see Kol standing on the other side, the air around him nearly crackling with excitement.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"Three in the morning. Can I come in?" His words were rushed. Something was definitely up.

 _Allie_.

"Sure." I stepped aside and then closed the door behind him. "What was so important that you had to wake me up at three in the morning?"

"I think that I have a plan." He immediately began to pace, and it reminded me so much of Allie when she had an idea that it made my heart ache. "And if we can pull it off, we'll be able to communicate with Allie."

My aching heart skipped a few beats. "Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not a hundred percent sure," he said. "That's why I said _if_ we can pull it off. But I think we can do it."

Any chance was better than none at all. I nodded eagerly and gestured for him to continue. "Well, let's hear it."

"Did Allie ever tell you that one of our brothers is incredible with machinery and technology? He was such a boring kid – always just sat there wanting to know how everything worked." He gave a small laugh. "There was this one time in Prague that he-"

I snapped my fingers to get his attention. It was clear that he'd been up all night and was probably operating on ten cups of coffee, but I needed him to focus nonetheless. "Kol. Your idea?"

"Right." He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "Max had a job not too long ago that involved a cell phone. I'm a little fuzzy on the details because I'm not a total nerd, but essentially, he created this special SIM card for a phone. Put it into Allie's phone, and we can communicate with her."

It was like a lightbulb went off above my head, even though it had been Kol's idea. "And we'll be able to see her messages to Nicolas."

Kol's frown wasn't what I wanted to see. "Actually, no, we won't. The SIM card was so brilliant because it doesn't give any indication that anything in the phone has changed. No doubt, Medici will be tracing and tracking at all times. The card just allows the user to essentially unlock a whole different side of the phone that's walled off from the other side."

I just stared at him, lost.

"Think of it as two phones in one," he explained. "Allie will have access to both sides, but we'll only be able to see our side and Medici will only be able to see his."

"Genius," I admitted, but still frowned. "Except that we won't be allowed within a hundred yards of Allie, much less close enough to hand her whatever tech we'd need to. Not if we want Trent to remain alive, which I'm assuming is still the plan."

Kol rolled his eyes. "Of course it is, and do you honestly believe that I wouldn't think of that? That's why we need someone on the outside."

"Like a stranger?"

"No." He shook his head adamantly. "We'll have to give instructions to whoever it is, so it needs to be someone that we can trust. Obviously, Medici knows all of our people, and I'm not sure that we'd want to risk a disguise."

"Anyone from Five-O would come," I began, but Kol shook his head.

"It can't be them, either. Medici would have looked them up because they're friends and co-workers of Allie's. It needs to be someone unattached to her, which makes it difficult."

"Not really." I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it at first. "My friend Catherine."

Kol raised an eyebrow. "The woman that you dated before Allie? The one that you were almost engaged to?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are we really going to get into _that_ right now? It's ancient history."

"Fine, fine." He raised his hands in surrender. "How soon can you get her here?"

I walked to the bed and picked up my cell phone, unlocking it with a few slides. "I'll call her right now and ask her to leave on the next flight out."

"We'll have to sneak her in just in case Medici has people watching this place, so let me know when she's to arrive." He walked to the door. "I'll talk to Max and get him working on the card."

"How will we know what kind of phone she has?"

"There's plenty of footage of her in and around the museum," he answered as he pulled the door open. "We'll find something." Moments later, he was gone.

I took a deep breath and then dialed her number, holding my breath until she answered with a soft, "Steve?"

"Catherine," I said, heart racing. "I need your help."

When she spoke again, her voice was stronger, determined. "Of course. Whatever you need. You know that."

"It's about Allie. We – her brother and I – think that we have a plan to get into contact with her, but we need someone that Medici doesn't know."

"Me," she realized without missing a beat. "Of course. Just tell me when and where to fly in."

I rattled off the name of the airport. "If you could be on the next flight out, that would be great."

The rustling coming over the line told me that she was already packing. "No problem. I'll look into flights as soon as I have a bag packed. If I have to, I can sweet talk my way onto a helo; I'm already in Europe."

Even better.

"Great. Just let me know what time you're going to land so that I can tell Kol. We'll have to sneak you into the house in case Medici is watching."

"Got it," she said. "I'll text you as soon as I know."

"Great. And Cat? Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

"I think I do." Through the line, I could sense her smile. "Be there soon." And then she hung up.

Knowing that I wouldn't be able to sleep after such an adrenaline rush, I showered and put on some clean clothes. After I'd shaved, I went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Kol sat at the small table with Max, both of them staring at a computer screen.

"Steve." Kol waved me over. "Come see this."

"Get yourself some coffee first," Max said, though not rudely. "You look dead on your feet."

"Haven't been sleeping well," I explained and moved to do just that. Once I had a mug full of fresh coffee, I joined them at the table.

Max moved the laptop so that we could all see the image of Allie on the screen. "We found a picture of the phone that she's using. It's an iPhone, and luckily, the SIMs for those are fairly simplistic. I'll get started making one right away."

"How long will it take?" Kol asked before I could.

"No more than twelve hours, if I get started right now."

"Do that," I said.

He nodded and stood. "I will. You two should try to get some sleep."

"Not a chance."

"No way."

He shrugged and scooped up his laptop. "Suit yourselves. I'm going to start the card and then get some more sleep. Fill the others in on the plan when they wake up, will you?"

"No problem," Kol said.

Max disappeared, and Kol and I were left to sip our coffee. There was nothing to do until the SIM card was ready and Catherine had arrived, but we were both too wired to go back to sleep. I hadn't been sleeping well anyway, as Max had noticed.

"Catherine is on the first flight out," I told him, just for something to say. "She's going to text as soon as she knows what time she'll be arriving. Do you have a plan for that?"

"I do," he said. "She can take a car to the nearby park and then walk down the alley just behind us and come through the gate. I'll go out and leave a key close to her arrival. No one should notice."

"She's good at remaining undetected." We'd been on many missions together, and her stealth had always been top notch.

"That'll come in handy. The next order of business in this plan is to come up with a way to get Catherine and Allie alone together. Or, at least, alone enough that Medici's men won't know what's going on."

"Medici's _men_ ," I realized.

"That's what I just said." He sounded put out. "Were you not listening to me?"

"No, I was," I assured him. "But you said Medici's _men_. Does he ever hire women?"

"Oh, no," Kol scoffed. "Men are much better for security, or so he claims."

"Then there's one place they can't follow her."

It took him a minute, but then his eyes lit up. "Of _course_. We just have to get Allie to go to the bathroom and then Catherine can follow her inside. But Allie will have to come up with a reason for her phone going dark for a minute or so. Max said that the SIM transfer takes about thirty seconds, and then there's the business of taking the SIM out and putting it back in."

"Do you think he'd even notice that?"

Kol nodded. "I'm sure he has people watching it around the clock."

"She could always just drop it," I suggested. "Preferably without the cover on. Maybe right outside the bathroom door as she's going in?"

"We'll have to put that on a note," he said. "Can Catherine discreetly pass a note?"

I nodded with confidence. "Absolutely."

"Good. Then that'll be our plan, unless someone can come up with a better one."

"I doubt that they can."

Kol narrowed his eyes at me. "Cocky much?"

" _Confident_."

He scoffed but then waved at his father, who had just walked into the room. "Hey, we have a plan to get in touch with Allie."

Surprised, he walked over and took a seat. "Let's have it."

Kol did most of the explaining; I only chimed in to answer questions when it was necessary. Towards the end, Edward came in and we had to start all over with the plan. But, when we had finished and they'd both had their questions answered, Edward smiled.

"A good plan," he approved, and I felt incredibly proud (even though most of the plan had been Kol's). "One that Medici will not see coming."

"We should get some breakfast," Kol said and stood. "I'll go and ask Melba to-"

But Melba was already walking into the room, dressed for the day and ready to start breakfast. She was surprised to see us all there and started to apologize, but Edward told her that it wasn't her fault that we'd been up early and she shouldn't rush.

As others joined us at the breakfast table, we rehashed the plan over and over again. By the sixth time that I'd heard Kol tell it, I could have recited it in my sleep. But that's what we wanted, so I remained silent and just listened.

Until I received a text message from Catherine.

 _Landing in Paris at one. I'll be looking for your text on how to proceed once I'm there._

"Catherine is on her way," I announced. "She's landing at one."

"I'll get things in place," Kol said and drained his glass of milk, setting it down on the table with a loud tap. "I just have a few calls to make and then I'll let you know what to tell her."

"Thanks," I said, but Kol was already darting out of the room and up the stairs. I shook my head and fought a smile. "He's slightly overcaffeinated."

" _Slightly_?" Max entered the room and held up a small chip. "All done. And the transfer device is waiting, too. Do we know when this is going down?"

"Today," I said.

But… "Tomorrow," Allie's father said firmly.

I looked at him and opened my mouth to argue.

Edward spoke before I could. "Steve, we want to be able to talk to her as much as you do, but we can't rush this. We only have one chance, and it has to be perfect. I have no doubt that Catherine is as good as you say she is, but we'll need time to go over the plan with her, let her rest after her flight, have her practice the hand-offs, and get familiar with the layout of the museum."

Everything that he said made sense, but I didn't like it. Every minute that I had to go without communication with Allie was torture, and I just wanted it to be over. "And that all makes sense. But…"

"I know."

With a sigh, I stood. There was nothing else to be done for several hours, and I knew that I should try to rest. "I should go upstairs and try to get some more sleep before Catherine gets here."

No one argued.

Once in my room, lying on my bed and staring up at the ceiling, I didn't think that I would actually be able to fall asleep. But only a few minutes later, I was drifting off into a pleasant dream of Allie.

Hours later, I woke to loud rapping on my door.

I groaned, rolled over, and asked who was there.

"Kol," was the reply. "Catherine is almost here and I thought you might want to be there when she arrives."

"Yeah," I called back and sat up, still a bit groggy. "Just give me a few minutes."

"Sure thing." I heard his footsteps retreat down the hall and then he was gone.

I freshened up with a change of clothes and a spray of cologne, and then I followed. And when I stepped into the kitchen, I saw that Catherine had already arrived and was introducing herself to the gathered team. While she was distracted, I took a moment to study the woman that had almost been my fiancée.

Her dark hair was shorter, barely skimming the tops of her shoulders. She was tan, too, having obviously been out in the sun quite a bit recently. Not much about her face had changed, and she was still very toned and graceful. But where before there had been attraction and love, there was now only a friendly affection. Allie had stolen my heart, including whatever part of it Catherine had owned.

Feeling my eyes on her, Catherine turned and smiled at me. "Steve."

"Hi, Cat." I stepped forward and hugged her, breathing in her familiar scent. It was comforting to be around someone that I'd known for years instead of all of these people that I'd only just met. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course." She pulled back. "I think Edward was just saying that we were going to go over the layout of the museum."

I nodded my approval. "Yeah, let's do it."

For the next hour, we all sat in the living room while Edward talked to Catherine about the museum's layout. He was obviously pleased at how quickly Catherine caught on, and I felt a bit proud of her for it. Then, they practiced the hand off and Catherine was equally adept at that. After only two hours of what Edward called "training", Catherine was deemed fit to perform the job and we all went in to dinner.

Melba had fixed a feast of roast chicken, potatoes, green beans, carrots, and rolls, and everyone dug in with gusto. Everyone tried to make Catherine feel welcome by including her in their conversations, and it wasn't long before she was regaling them with some of her crazier adventures since we'd broken up.

"What did you see in him, anyway?" Kol asked at one point.

Catherine laughed while I wondered how much damage I could do with the butter knife in my hand. "He's a good guy. Even if the idea of romance is lost on him the majority of the time."

Everyone laughed while I looked at Catherine, wounded. "I can be romantic. I just choose not to be most of the time."

"Sure."

After dinner, it was my turn to help Melba clean up. Catherine also volunteered to help, and she caught me up on what she'd been up to. Mostly humanitarian stuff, but she'd been on a couple of missions as well. I got the feeling that the humanitarian stuff was what gave her purpose, though, and I expressed that I was glad she'd left me to pursue something that made her so happy. Even though it had been incredibly tough at the time.

"It was tough for me, too," she told me as we left the kitchen and headed outside to take a walk around the gardens. "I didn't want to leave, but I also knew that I was missing something. And I'll be honest… a small part of me was hoping that you'd wait for me, even though you told me that you wouldn't."

"And now?" I asked her.

"Now, it makes me happy to know that you've found someone that makes you even happier than I did." She smiled at me, and I knew that she meant every word. "So, tell me about her. Danny gave me a topline, but…"

And so, I gave her Allie's biography. How she'd grown up in the world of con artists but had made a new life for herself with the CIA. I talked about all of the different law enforcement fields that she'd tried out, and then told her how the governor had put her on my task force without my consent.

Catherine laughed at that. "That must have driven you _insane_. You hate not being in control."

"You and Danny," I muttered.

"So, what's she like?"

I only had to think for a moment. "She's stubborn – in a way that I can respect, even though it drives me crazy. And she's brave. Talented. Driven. Kind. You know… as close to perfect as a person can get."

Catherine's expression had softened. "You're more in love with her than you ever were with me. I can tell." Before I could say anything, she held up a hand. "I don't say it to make you feel bad or to feel sorry for me. I'm _so_ happy for you. And for her. I can't wait to meet her."

"Just don't be trash talking me," I teased her.

"Only a little." She laughed. "And you're going to be a father… wow. You must be so excited."

So, we talked for a little bit longer about the baby and about impending fatherhood. And it felt so nice to be talking about the future without worrying about the present.

But all good things must come to an end.

"You should get some rest," I finally told her. "Big day tomorrow."

She nodded as we headed back for the house. "There's nothing to worry about. I've got this."

But I was going to worry anyway.


	40. Restless Hearts

… **..**

 **Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another chapter! I don't know about all of you, but I am** _ **so**_ **looking forward to Catherine and Allie meeting each other. I had this planned out all along, and I've been looking forward to it for quite some time now. And if you're looking forward to it as well, I hope it lives up to your expectations.**

 **Also, I'm so terribly sorry for getting off of my schedule again. I feel so awful. To try to make up for it, I'm planning to post twice this week. I'm also done making promises about a posting schedule, since life always seems to want to remind me that it's in charge lol. But, I still plan to try my best to post at least once a week. Thank you so much for your patience.**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that continue to read this story. I'm glad that you're continuing to enjoy it. And thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favorited, followed, or private messaged me. Each show of support means the world to me.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Ten: Restless Hearts_

"You're clear on everything?" Edward asked as he handed Catherine an earpiece.

She slipped it into her ear and then smoothed her wig of blonde hair down so that it was all but invisible. She looked like an entirely different person with her loose, French-style clothes, colored contacts, and too much makeup. "Definitely."

When Edward continued to stare at her expectantly, Kol stepped in. "I think he wants you to go over it for him one more time. No offense."

"Oh," Catherine said. "I'll get there when the museum opens so that they don't think that I'm following her in. Then, I'll go from exhibit to exhibit slowly and pretend to sketch a few pieces. You guys will let me know when she arrives and where she is, and I'll make my way there and pass her the note. After she gets it, I'll watch discreetly until she goes to the bathroom."

From his seat at the kitchen table, Max spoke. "And the SIM device?"

Catherine didn't miss a beat. "She needs to take her SIM card out and put it into the open slot. It should take about thirty seconds for the transfer. When it's complete, the light will turn green. Then, she puts the other SIM into her phone and we should be good to go. I need to tell her that to pull up the other side of the phone, so to speak, she has to type 'conundrum' into a new message."

I looked over at Max. "Why _conundrum_?"

He shrugged and the hint of a smile played at his lips. "It's the strangest word in the English language."

Kol shook his head at his brother. "Kumquat."

"Shut up."

"Enough." Edward held up his hand and then nodded to Catherine. "And?"

"And she can only communicate with us via phone call. A text message could be intercepted." Catherine didn't hesitate in the slightest. She was definitely ready.

"I need to work out that kink," Max mused.

"Ya think?" Kol rolled his eyes.

"Okay," I jumped in before they could come to blows. "I think we've got it all down. Everyone satisfied?" When no one spoke up to the contrary, I gestured to the side door. "I'll walk you out to the car, Cat."

She walked with me outside and, as we closed in on the large detached garage, she looked over at me. "There's nothing to worry about. Allie and I could pull this off in our sleep."

She was right, of course, but I couldn't stop the worry anyway. "You don't even know Allie."

"No," she agreed. "But I know what you've told me. And that's enough. You worked with a special ops group for years, and then moved to Five-O. If you say that she's the most capable person you've ever worked with, then she must be something special."

I opened the door to the garage and plucked the keys to a newer model sedan off of their hook. Dangling them in front of Catherine, I said, "Drive safe."

"Will do." She took the keys and gave me one last, determined look. "I guess I'll see you in a few hours."

"Hopefully not much later than that." Allie typically got to the museum about an hour after it had opened, when there was a good buffer of people to detract attention. If she stuck to her pattern, we wouldn't have long to wait before Catherine made contact.

I watched Catherine drive away and then headed back into the house, where everyone was finishing up their breakfast before everything went down. I didn't want to eat anything, but Kol pestered me until I finally choked down a banana and a glass of orange juice.

And then, there was nothing to do but sit in the living room (where a makeshift control room had been set up) and wait. Kol sat beside me for a bit, but then got up and moved, presumable because he was annoyed that I kept bouncing my leg up and down.

Catherine let us know when she arrived at the museum, and then we could hear her paying for entrance. It wasn't long until I began to pace nervously, waiting for Catherine to say that Allie had appeared. Everyone watched me, but no one told me to stop pacing; several of them probably wanted to do the same thing, but there wasn't enough room for all of us.

I began to think of every single thing that could go wrong, driving myself completely crazy. I knew that Catherine and Allie were both extremely capable, but all that it would take was _one tiny_ slipup for everything to blow up.

And then, _finally_ , it was time.

"I see her," Catherine told us after we'd watched Allie go in on the security cameras. "At least, I'm pretty sure it's her. Can someone confirm for me?"

I grabbed the mic before anyone else could. "Black tee and skinny jeans. Hair up in a messy bun." _Beautiful and graceful and perfect_ , I didn't add. _Doesn't even look pregnant, just a little different._

"It's her," Catherine said. "She's not being tailed. I'm going to go ahead and pass the note. Stand by."

I swear, every single person in the room held their breath over the next minute. We could see them on the security cameras, but the resolution wasn't the best, so we weren't going to be able to tell if it was a success. And then…

"Got it," Catherine said, and there was a collective sigh of relief in the room. "She handled the pass really well."

"Of course she did," Kol scoffed. "She's a professional con."

" _Was_ ," I corrected him.

Like the mature adult that he was, Kol stuck his tongue out at me.

A few minutes later, Catherine spoke again. "Okay, Allie just gave me the signal that she understands the plan. We'll have to wait a few minutes so that it doesn't look suspicious if anyone is watching."

My pacing intensified, because there were so many things that could go wrong. Medici could become suspicious – in which case, he would likely hurt Trent and possibly do something to Allie. Allie could get called away by Medici and not have the time to get the SIM card. Or any number of other things. I just couldn't seem to stop thinking about these negative scenarios.

The seconds felt like hours, but finally Catherine spoke softly to us. "Okay. I'm headed for the bathroom now. Allie should be following behind me in a couple of minutes."

"More minutes," I grumbled, and didn't think that anyone had heard until Kol gave me a sympathetic smile from his seat in the recliner. It was hard for him, too, I knew. How was he handling it so much better than I was? She was his _twin_ , for goodness' sake. He'd never lived without her.

There was silence on the other end until Catherine spoke again, a smile in her voice. "Steve? Someone wants to talk to you."

I lunged for the headset and pulled it on, muting the conversation to everyone else. "Allie?"

"Steve." That one word was all that it took for my body to flood with emotion. Tears burned my eyes and I blinked them back desperately, trying to keep it together. I wouldn't have long to talk to her. Not wanting everyone else to overhear, I began to move for the kitchen.

"Hey," someone objected, but I heard Kol tell them to sit down and leave me alone.

I needed to thank him later.

"Allie," I repeated as I reached the kitchen. "Are you okay? Is… is the baby okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. We're both fine." Her voice sounded as familiar to me as my own, as if it had only been hours instead of weeks since we'd spoken. "I can feel it moving now."

The tears that I'd been fighting back slowly began to leak, but I couldn't bring myself to care. "So, you don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"No," she answered, and I felt a little relieved. At least I hadn't missed _everything_. "Not yet. Are you getting along with my family?"

"Yeah, they're great." _Most of them, anyway_. "Are you sure you're doing okay?"

"Mostly. I had some pretty bad morning sickness right at first, but it's gone now. The doctor put me on some medicine for it."

"Is your doctor good?"

"The best."

I knew that we didn't have much time. "Listen, we're working really hard to get you and Trent back safely, okay? I love you, Allie. So much."

"I know," she assured me. "I love you, too. Catherine's great, by the way. Really good brush pass."

I smiled. "She's not even in the same league as you."

"Flatterer," she teased. "So, I just got the SIM card back and I'm putting it into my phone. Hopefully, this thing will work. My code phrase is going to be _'orange bucket, black handle'_."

My confusion knew no bounds. "What the hell does that even mean?"

"Nothing. That's the point. I need to get going before any of Medici's men get suspicious. I'll get in touch when it's safe. I love you."

"I love you, too," I told her, and then she was gone.

A few moments later, Catherine was back on the line. "Steve?"

I cleared the emotion from my throat. "Yeah, I'm here."

"Allie just went back out. You doing okay?"

"I'm just glad that it all went according to plan." But I longed to hear her voice just a little bit longer. To hold her in my arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay. And not knowing when I would finally get to do that drove me absolutely insane.

"I'm going to stick around the museum for another hour and a half to avoid any suspicion, and then I'll head back to the house. Will you let everyone know?"

"Sure thing."

She turned her earpiece off and I went back into the living room to tell everyone what had transpired. Unlike me, no one else thought that Allie's code phrase was way outside of the normal. Perhaps that was standard operating procedure for them.

"While we're waiting, I'm going to go upstairs and rest," I told everyone. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

No one objected to that, so I climbed the stairs and went into my room, closing and locking the door behind me. I knew that I should have called the team back in Hawaii to let them know that I'd heard from Allie and that she was doing okay, but I couldn't hold it together any longer.

I laid down on the bed, buried my face into the nearest pillow, and began to cry. It had been a long time since I'd sobbed like that, but I just couldn't hold the emotion in any longer.

It wasn't fair. None of it was fair. And I just couldn't take it anymore, so I let it all out.

And it felt so freeing.

I must have been exhausted, because the next thing that I knew, I was waking up to knocking on my bedroom door. A glance at the digital clock on the nightstand next to the bed told me that it was four in the afternoon. Apparently, I'd gotten a good nap in.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered as I pushed myself up onto my elbows and used a hand to wipe some drool off of my face. I'd been sleeping incredibly hard. Harder than I had since Allie had been taken.

There was another knock on the door and I groaned. "I'm coming. Just a second."

As I approached the door, I ran a hand through my unkempt hair, which was in desperate need of a trim. I decided to ask Kol if anyone in the house could do it, but I was completely thrown off when I saw Catherine standing on the other side of the door instead of Allie's twin.

"Catherine."

She gave me a small smile. "You can't truly be that surprised to see me. I've been here a couple of days."

"No, it's not that. Of course, I knew that you were here, but…" I felt my mouth twist up in a wry smile. "Kol is usually the one that wakes me up by knocking on my door."

"Well, I volunteered this time. Dinner is almost ready downstairs, and I said that I would fetch you. Did you have a nice nap?"

"I'm sure that I look like I did. Let me just change out of this wrinkled shirt and I'll come down for dinner." I started to close the door, but Catherine put her hand out and stopped me.

"Actually," she said, and then checked the hall to make sure that no one was listening. "Can I come in for a second?"

"Sure." I stepped aside and let her pass, closing the door softly behind her. "What's up?"

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. "Allie asked me to give this to you. She said that I should do it in private, so that you could enjoy the moment without prying eyes."

Curiosity piqued, I reached for it. "What is it?"

She shrugged and let go of the smooth, folded rectangle. "I didn't look at it. It's none of my business."

I gently tossed it onto the bed and then looked at her, hoping that I could adequately express what was in my head. "Catherine, today… You saved the day. Not just for me, either, but for Allie's entire family. I'll never be able to repay you for that."

She smiled. "Well, no offense to Allie's family, because they seem really great, but I didn't do it for them. Or for Allie, really. I did it for you." Her smile became sad as she took a step forward. "Steve, I _hate_ how we left things back in Hawaii. How _I_ left things. But I hope that you know how much I still care about you and how incredibly sad I am that you have to go through this. And I want you to know that I'm always here for you. As your friend, I hope."

I smiled and stepped forward to hug her. "Oh, Catherine. I forgave you a long time ago. And as for the friends thing…" I pulled back and smiled at her. "I consider myself very lucky to have a friend like you."

"Good." She gestured to the paper on my bed. "I'll leave you to it." She strode past me and left the room, closing the door behind her.

I changed my shirt and then went to the bed, sinking down onto the mattress as I grabbed the glossy paper. And when I unfolded it, my breath caught in my chest as my heart began to pound.

It was an ultrasound of my baby.

It had been taken at thirteen weeks gestation, so it was very recent. I couldn't stop staring. And even though I couldn't make out everything from the smudges of gray in the pool of black, I could tell where the head was and from there, I could make out a few things.

When a tear dropped down onto the sonogram, I was glad that Allie had asked Catherine to give this to me in private. I needed to have that moment alone.

Once I'd committed the image to memory, I folded the paper up and put it into the drawer of my nightstand. I knew that I would be looking at it many times a day for the next few weeks, until we got Allie back.

Downstairs, I found everyone just getting ready to start dinner, and I joined them in a much better mood than I'd been in for the last several weeks. Something about hearing Allie's voice and seeing our baby had reenergized me.

As we were filling our plates, Catherine leaned over and whispered, "Everything okay?"

"Better than okay," I assured her. "That thing that Allie gave you? It was a picture from her last ultrasound."

Catherine's smile was bright. "Aw, Steve. I had a suspicion that's what it was. Boy or girl?"

"Too soon to tell, I think, but she should be finding out soon."

"Are you hoping for one or the other?"

I shrugged. "I haven't given it much thought, actually. I haven't wanted to dream too much, you know… just in case things go wrong. But now that things seem to be shifting in our favor…" I couldn't fight my smile. "I think it would be so nice to have a little princess."

"You with a daughter." She laughed. "That poor girl when she decides that she wants to date."

"Oh, she's not dating."

Kol asked Catherine a question and we were drawn out of our conversation as she answered. I joined in on conversations and actually enjoyed myself for the first time since all of this had started. I was so grateful to all of them for their role in allowing me to have a conversation with Allie. And for giving me the chance to have even more conversations with her. It would make our separation so much easier.

After dinner, I found Catherine in the gardens, talking on the phone. It seemed that she was making travel arrangements to go back to where she was stationed. Once she'd concluded the call, she gave me a smile. "Since I'm not needed here anymore, I'm going to head back."

"Of course." I had expected nothing less. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for everything you've done for us. Doing research on the box, getting that SIM card to Allie… I'll be in your debt forever."

"You're the kind of man I like to have in my debt," she teased me.

"Do you need us to take you to the airport?"

She shook her head. "I'll head out tomorrow morning and sneak a few streets over to get a cab. It's not a long ride."

"I'll make sure that Edward gives you money for the cab." When she opened her mouth to protest, I held up a hand. "I insist. And I'm sure that he would, too. They're all grateful to you."

She sighed. "I won't argue, then. And I'm going to continue to work the case from my end. I'll look into where Medici might be holding Trent, or more history on the box, or anything else that you need me to dig up. I won't stop until you have Allie back."

I smiled. "I can't wait for the two of you to meet under better circumstances."

"Looking forward to it."

Before I could ask her what time her flight was, my phone went off. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the unsaved number. The message on it made my eyes go wide and my heart stop.

 _Orange bucket, black handle_. And then there was a red heart emoji.

"Steve?" Catherine's voice brought me back to reality.

"It's Allie." A wide smile split my face as I looked up at Catherine and showed her my phone. "It worked. Max's SIM card really worked!"

"That's wonderful!" Catherine seemed just as genuinely happy as I was. "Message her back and I'll go let everyone know!"

She headed inside as I typed out a message back to Allie.

 _I miss you. And I love you_.

She responded moments later: _I guess I should update everyone on what's been happening. And then as soon as I have an opportunity, I'll call._

I didn't want to wait to hear her voice, but at least we'd made some progress. I needed to be patient. _That sounds wonderful. So, what's been going on?_

And she spent all night filling all of us in.


	41. Afraid of What's to Come

… **..**

 **So, I really want to know how all of you feel about the newest episodes of the show. I've been private messaging back and forth with a few of you about it but as for the rest of you… how do you feel about it? Do you like Tani and Junior? How do you feel about Adam's role? Are you losing interest in the show like I've heard a lot of people say? I really want to know, so leave it in your review or send me a private message – I love talking to readers!**

 **Thanks so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. All of your support has been much appreciated and I'll never be able to tell you how much. I hope that you enjoy this newest chapter.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eleven: Afraid of What's to Come_

Allie

The knock on my door made me jump, sending the pen flying across the paper. With my teeth ground in frustration, I stood and went to answer it. Medici stood on the other side, dressed in his typical suit and tie. As always, a guard stood just behind him.

"Good morning, Allie." Medici gave me a polite, yet cold, smile. "May I come in?"

"It's _your_ suite," I said as I stepped aside to allow him to pass. I'd tried to remain polite for the first several weeks, but I'd since gotten fed up and acted with barely restrained hostility.

Medici and his guard entered, the guard taking up a position just inside the door, hands clasped in front of him. Medici continued into the living room and glanced at the papers spread out on the coffee table. "These don't look like museum heist plans."

"That's because they aren't." I slid into the small kitchen area and took out a bottle of water. "Those are my baby registry checklists and notes on the different products and such."

He turned to look at me, a cold smile on his face. "Well, you might want to do some research on the places that offer baby registries in France. Because at this pace, you'll have to deliver the baby here."

I gripped the water so tightly that the plastic crinkled. "Thank you for the suggestion. I'll take it under advisement." I took a long drink before I could say anything that I might regret. Medici was getting impatient, and it was probably best not to push him. For Trent's sake more than anything else.

"You haven't made any more progress, I take it?"

"I've been reviewing the footage that I got last time," I said. "The Kingsley Museum was remodeled to protect itself against every kind of attack that I would want to try. I have to come up with an entirely new con, which doesn't happen overnight. But I _am_ working on it."

He waved a hand over all of the baby registry papers. "Yes, I can see that."

If I'd been holding a glass, it would have burst in my hand. "Everyone needs a break. If you work a problem too hard, there will be mistakes. That's what I'm doing. Then, when I go back to it later, I'll be fresh and much more likely to come up with a good idea."

He mulled that over for a few moments and then nodded. "I suppose I can see your point." He pointed to the papers. "Let me know what you'd like me to get you. Or send me the link to your registry. I can have it shipped to your house."

I didn't want a single thing from him, but I kept that to myself. "Thank you."

"Of course." He gave me a smile and then moved for the door. "Keep me updated."

"Will do."

Once he and the guard were gone, I threw the mangled water bottle in the trash and got a new one. I was at my wit's end with the museum heist, and I was really starting to feel the stress, which I knew wasn't good for the baby. That's why I had decided to take a break and get a head start on my baby registry. But that had turned out to be stressful as well.

Babies needed _so much_. Even the lists that I'd found on Pinterest that were supposed to be 'minimalist' baby registry checklists had at least thirty items on them. And then there were nursery themes to think about, which I couldn't do until I knew if it was a boy or a girl. Oh, and _so many_ different strollers and car seats to choose from.

I sank down on the couch and, as I had started to do with increasing frequency, I talked to the baby. "You are going to be quite the spoiled child. I couldn't decide which swing to get, so I registered for the two most popular ones. And I wasn't sure which would be more entertaining – a bouncer or a rock n play – so I decided on both. And all of the nursery themes that I've come up with so far are pretty elaborate. But you know, you're the first baby. I want to go all out."

I'd bought – with Medici's credit card, because I intended to take full advantage – several pregnancy and childbirth books, as well as some books about living with a newborn/infant. I'd wanted to be prepared but, somehow, reading all of those books had made me feel even less prepared. There were so many decisions to make…

Hospital or home birth? Homemade baby food or store bought? Vaccines or no vaccines? Epidural or natural childbirth? Co-sleeping or bassinet? Breastfeeding or formula feeding? Disposable diapers or cloth diapers?

So many things to think about, and a lot of them were things that I needed to discuss with Steve. I wondered if he had bought any books in the subject, but decided that he probably hadn't. He was likely far too busy trying to locate Trent and come up with a plan to rescue me.

I would just have to fill him in on the flight back to Hawaii.

"The sooner I plan out this heist, the sooner I could go home," I told the baby. "But I'm not quite ready to go back to that yet. So, what do you say we spend a little more time picking out all of the gender-neutral stuff for the registries?"

When the baby stirred, I smiled. In moments like that, it was like the rest of the world melted away.

"Glad you agree," I said, and started writing.

Steve

"Hello?" I had stayed up far too late the night before texting with Allie, and it appeared that I'd slept in much later than usual. The only reason that I had even woken up was because my cell phone had started ringing and vibrating.

"Of course, Danny, I'll keep you updated," Danny said in a very poor imitation of me. "And by 'keep you updated', I mean that I'll call a couple of times and then go silent for a week and a half."

"It's too early in the morning to deal with your wit, Danny," I said as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"Not here, it isn't," he replied. "And by my calculations, it's nearly noon there."

He was right, but I didn't admit it. "Was there something you wanted? How is it running Five-O?"

"Well, I'm doing a better job at it than you, so there's that. We haven't had a ton of cases, so we've mostly been helping out HPD and SWAT when we're needed. Chin and Kono send their love, by the way. I told them that I was going to be calling you today if I didn't hear from you first."

"I'm sorry that I've been so bad about keeping in touch." I got out of bed and headed for the closet to pick out my clothes for the day. "But I can update you now, if you want."

"No, no, I don't want an update." I'd known him long enough to know when he was being sarcastic. "I just called to tell you how incredible you are and how much I miss you."

"Right, so here's the update," I said, and started getting him up to speed. He interrupted a few times to ask me questions, but was otherwise silent (which was a first).

By the time that I had finished telling him everything, I was dressed and ready to head downstairs with everyone else.

"That's quite an adventure," Danny said. "How was it seeing Catherine again?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. "It was fine. It's good. We're good."

"I mean, I just… you know… she left you when you were like two seconds away from proposing and now she's back to help you rescue your fiancée and… that just seems pretty crazy to me."

"There aren't still feelings there, if that's what you're asking," I told him. "I thought that maybe there would be, but when I saw her, I just felt the affection that you would for a friend. And I think that she feels the same way. She seems happy for me."

"I'm glad," he said sincerely. "That's better than the alternative. So, you got to see the ultrasound picture. How did it make you feel?"

"You're asking about my feelings now?" I teased him. "Who are you?"

"Ha, ha. Seriously. I remember when I first saw Grace on the screen. It was the most incredible feeling in the world."

I nodded. "That about sums it up, I think."

"Sometimes, I still have a hard time thinking of you as a father. But then I remember how unprepared _I_ was for fatherhood, and I know that you'll be okay. It's all one big learning process. And honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I'm really excited to watch you go through it. It'll be the hardest and most rewarding thing you'll ever do."

I almost teared up. "Thanks, Danny. That really means a lot."

In a flash, he was back to his normal sarcastic self. "Yeah, that's why I said it. Look, you need to do a much better job at keeping us all in the loop, okay? We worry. Allie is our family, too."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I'll set reminders in my phone."

"Do that. And call Chin and Kono and update them as well."

I nodded. "Will do. Thanks for calling."

"Talk soon," he said and hung up.

I ate quickly and then checked on what everyone was up to on the Allie front. There really wasn't anything that I could do, so I went back up to my room and decided to get a head start on the baby front. I knew next to nothing about babies, and I wanted to be prepared for when mine arrived into the world.

Half an hour later, I was calling Danny.

When he answered, his voice was groggy and as cranky as I'd ever heard it. "Steven, this better be an emergency, because it's two thirty in the morning here."

I hadn't taken that into account, but I didn't apologize. "What's a bassinet?"

He was silent for so long that I almost thought I'd lost the connection, but then he spoke. "A _bassinet_? You're calling me at two thirty in the morning to ask me about a _bassinet_?"

I gestured to the article on the computer screen, even though he couldn't see it. "Yeah. This article about baby sleep safety says that the baby should be laid down on a firm surface, like a crib mattress or a safety approved bassinet. So, what's a bassinet? It sounds like _basket_. Is it a basket for babies?"

"Yes, Steve. It's a basket for babies." But sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"I'm serious, Danny. I've been reading these articles for half an hour and I still have no _clue_ what I'm doing. I don't know how to change a diaper or swaddle or any of that stuff. What's BPA and why do I not want the baby's bottles to have it? Do I let the baby cry it out or not, because no one seems to agree on that topic? And also, why the hell are they suggesting getting a sling? Do they think I'm going to break the baby's arm or something? Should I have one around for a sort of… _baby first aid kit_? What else do I need in there?"

Before I could further make a fool of myself, Danny spoke. "Steve, hey. Calm down. All right? You're acting like there's gonna be some kind of test or something."

"No, not a test, but in six months there's going to be a baby living in my house and I just realized that I know _way_ less than I thought I did. The _test_ is that I have to keep a tiny human alive."

"They're way more resilient that you think." He yawned. "Look, raising a kid is just… it's something that you figure out as you go. Okay? _I'm_ still learning. Every parent alive is still learning. You're not going to be perfect at it."

"Just answer my questions so that I can feel better."

He sighed. "Fine, fine. First question? The bassinet?"

"Yes," I affirmed.

"A bassinet is… it's… it's kind of like a miniature crib for littler babies. You can put it beside your bed and they can sleep there for ease of access in the middle of the night."

I was confused. "Why would I want to get to the baby in the middle of the night?"

After a very long pause, I heard barely contained laughter in his voice. "You're right. What was I even thinking? I didn't mean 'in the middle of the night'. I meant 'for peace of mind'. You and the baby can sleep peacefully all night long."

"Okay…" I felt like there was something he wasn't telling me, but I let it go. "Next question: changing a diaper."

"That's not a question."

"I wish that I could throw something at you," I muttered. "How do you change a diaper?"

"Very carefully," he quipped. "But seriously, the hospital should have some classes about how to take care of a newborn baby. Rachel and I took one before we had Grace and it was immensely helpful. They taught us how to change a diaper, swaddle, feed… all that good stuff. You should look into that and book a class."

I reached for the notepad and wrote that down. "Do they have classes about the whole… you know… _birth_ process?"

"Yes, but they don't help. You might as well just throw your money out the window. The birth process is hell. Living, breathing hell. Just go in knowing that and you'll be fine. Oh, and also, let her throw stuff at you if she wants."

"Why would she want to throw stuff at me?" He wasn't making much sense.

"Because labor hurts, Steve," he said slowly, as if he was talking to a toddler.

"I know, but it can't be so bad that she'd want to throw something at me. Women do it all the time, right?"

"I wish that Allie could hear this right now." He laughed. "Anything else?"

I looked at the article on the screen and felt my chest grow tight. "There's so much to terrify you about having kids."

He grew serious once more. "Yes. And it never gets any less scary. But they are so, so worth it. You'll see."

I reached over to grab the ultrasound picture and stared at my growing baby. "Yeah… I can see that."

"Good. That's all you need. Now, please tell me that we're done here, because some of us actually have to go to work tomorrow and not laze about in Paris."

I smiled. Leave it to Danny to cheer me right up. "I think that's it for now. But if I have any other questions, I'll be sure to call."

"Google is a thing now, I hear."

"Good night, Danny."

He hung up without returning the farewell.

Feeling only slightly more confident, I went back to my research and wondered if Allie had started her own research yet. Then, I wondered how much she knew about babies. Had she been around them much? She didn't have any younger siblings, but perhaps she'd had friends with children.

However much exposure she'd had to children in the past, I knew that she was going to be a wonderful mother. She was patient, kind, loving, and fiercely protective – everything you could want in a mother. I could picture her making Christmas cookies and helping our child set them out for Santa. I imagined her excitedly planning the perfect first birthday party. I could see her tears of joy when our child said their first word or took their first step.

We weren't going to have everything figured out. But, together, we could do it.

A bit later, there was a knock on my door and I called for them to come in.

Kol entered, looking like he'd just woken up from a ten hour nap. "Haven't seen you all day."

"Probably because you've spent most of the day in bed."

He shrugged and moved closer, covering a yawn. "I took the overnight shift watching for any silent alarm triggers at the museum. I earned that time in bed. What have you been up to?" He gestured to the laptop and notepad on my bed. "Research on the box?"

"Research," I agreed and smiled. "But more on the topic of babies."

"Ah." He sank down in the chair near the desk. "Trying to get prepared before you have to take care of a living, tiny human."

"Precisely. And, apparently, they're a lot of work and they require a lot of equipment."

He laughed, much as Danny had. "Say _supplies_ , not _equipment_. It sounds less… less like some kind of special op."

"Got it. Do you have a lot of experience with babies?"

He smiled slightly as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "I actually dated a woman with a four month old." When I raised an eyebrow, he continued. "We became friends before she was pregnant. She worked with me at the BAU. Anyway, she was dating this guy who didn't want to take responsibility for their baby, so they broke up. I was the one that was with her throughout the pregnancy and the newborn phase. We started dating after that."

"What happened?" I asked, noting that the smile had slowly faded from his face.

"She was diagnosed with breast cancer. Died a year later. I left the BAU after that." He said it without any emotion in his voice, but his expression told me that he'd been terribly broken up about it.

"I'm so sorry, Kol."

He tried to force a smile, but he couldn't quite fake it. "Thanks. She was a wonderful woman. I still visit her daughter sometimes. She lives in California with her grandparents and seems to be adjusting well."

I couldn't imagine what it would feel like as a parent to know that you were going to die and leave your child without you in this world. Nor did I ever want to have to imagine such a thing. I wanted to be there for my child for as long as it was possible. And I definitely didn't want to die before my child would have a chance at remembering me. Then again, what parent did?

"I'm glad. Do you visit much?"

He shrugged. "Whenever I get some time. I give them a bit of money every month to help take care of her. The grandmother is retired and the grandfather works in a factory. I help out where I can."

"Enough with all this depressing talk," I said and smiled to try and lighten the mood. "You came in here for a reason."

"Really just to say hi," he sighed. "I didn't get to see you today because I've been asleep. How is everything?"

"Fine. And don't tell anyone, but…" I reached over to grab the ultrasound picture and showed it to him with a proud smile. "Allie gave this to Catherine to deliver to me."

Kol smiled down at his niece or nephew. "You must be so happy."

"I really am," I confessed. "Which sounds strange when you think about the present situation. But I know that she'll pull this off and we'll go home and raise this baby together."

"My sister as a mother…" Kol shook his head as he handed the ultrasound back to me. "I just have a hard time picturing it. I'm sure that she'll do a great job at it; it's just that she never wanted kids."

"Well, we all know that things can change in a flash."

His expression grew grim. "Yes. _That_ we know very, _very_ well, unfortunately."


	42. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! Someone said that they felt like it was getting slow, and I have to agree, but that was the plan all along. It's about to speed up, I promise. I just thought that it was really important to show the frustration of Steve and Allie's separation. Being pregnant is hard enough, but being pregnant without your significant other present is doubly so. But like I said, things are about to pick up quite a bit.**

 **So, I just wanted to say that I LOVED episode 6 of season 9 (I've watched it about ten times so far), but then I felt like the next episode was just kind of bleh. I feel like Junior and Tani aren't as dynamic as I'd like them to be, and I also feel like things are getting so predictable. At this point, I'm definitely going to stick with it just because I'm so invested, but I really hope that the writers go back to the way it was in the beginning – exciting and full of mystery. And Steve needs a good love interest. Also, what happened to Amber? Danny also needs a love interest. Okay, I'm done now.**

 **Thank you so much to everyone that has read, favorited, followed, reviewed, and private messaged me. I love hearing from you all. Your loyalty and kindness are appreciated more than you know.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twelve: Are You Lonesome Tonight?_

Steve

I walked into the kitchen and saw Roger sitting at the table, typing furiously on his laptop. He looked like he'd been up all night, and I was willing to put money down that the half-empty mug of coffee to his right had been refilled more than a couple of times. As of right now, there was always at least one tech person keeping an eye on the museum in case something happened.

It made me glad that I'd never been a techie.

"Good morning," I greeted him.

He jumped as if there'd been a gunshot, arms slinging out to the side and sending his coffee mug crashing to the ground. The dark brown liquid seeped out of the broken mug like a puddle of blood, running smoothly over the pristine white tile.

"Sorry," I apologized sheepishly when Roger shot me a glare.

Kol entered just then, assessed the scene, and laughed. "It's not your fault, Steve. These techies are delicate, see. You have to approach them with caution. Next time, try tiptoeing in whilst humming a soothing melody."

Roger swore at Kol as he stood and began to clean up the mess. "I've been up all night."

"I figured," I told him. "And I appreciate everything that you're doing."

He grumbled something that sounded like, 'at least someone does'.

"Oh, you know that I appreciate you," Kol said and moved for the coffeemaker on the kitchen counter. "Any progress?"

As Roger mopped up the spilled coffee, he filled us in. "In one of her messages, Allie said that Medici had taken her to see Trent and then there'd been a bit of a car ride, but not _too_ far. So, he has to be close. We've been combing through traffic cam footage of the day that Allie said they arrived, trying to trace the cars back to where they might be holding Trent. But, we're also keeping an eye on them now to see if they go back there."

"Sounds like a solid plan." Kol handed me the mug of coffee that he'd just made and started in on another cup for himself. "If we can find Trent, then we can extract him and Allie at the same time and get out of here." He looked at me. "You could coordinate an extraction, right?"

I nodded. "No problem. But wouldn't we be worried about retaliation?"

"Not if we can pin a crime on him." Edward walked into the room then and gave Kol a knowing look.

Kol's eyes lit with understanding. "Brilliant. Frame him for any kind of crime and get him locked up for a while."

" _A while_ isn't forever," I pointed out. "And that could just make his grudge against us even worse."

"I don't plan to let him get out." Before Kol could take a drink of his coffee, Edward took it from him and continued speaking. "We'll have to get into Interpol's database, look for a big crime, and fill in some of the blanks for them."

"They'll have his fingerprints when they catch him for a smaller crime, and that will point them towards the bigger crime in the database."

Edward looked to Roger. "Start looking into Interpol's database for unsolved crimes that could work. Keep me posted."

Roger shut the lid of his laptop and scooped it off of the table. "As soon as I sleep a while. I'll let Carter know, though."

"Appreciate it," Edward said and looked at me. "You look like you got some good sleep."

"I did," I nodded. "I've felt refreshed ever since I've talked to Allie."

"Me too, I must confess."

Kol smiled. "She said she'd call today, right? So that we can get some more information?"

"Yes, but we won't have long. She couldn't even text very much at once because she didn't want Medici to get suspicious. She's going to call us today from the bathroom and pretend to be taking a shower."

"Well, a short conversation will be better than nothing." Kol took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. "Who made this?"

"You did," I reminded him.

"Someone should fire me." He turned away and hunted for some creamer.

Edward moved closer to me. "I know that you'll want to have a private conversation with her and I don't begrudge you that, but please allow us to have at least a few minutes to talk with her."

"Of course."

Kol found his creamer and dumped a pile into his mug. "There. That should do it."

I shook my head and started to leave. "I'll let you all know when Allie calls."

"We'll be waiting!" Kol called after me.

 _So will I_.

Allie

It was so hard to act normal when I knew that I'd be talking to my family and to Steve at the end of the day. I'd been going through my regular routine, but I was shaking with excitement on the inside. Medici hadn't seemed to notice, as he'd only visited once around noon to deliver my lunch and check in, and he hadn't stayed for very long.

Finally – _finally_ – it was late evening, about the time that I normally took my showers. I had wanted to take a shower the night before so that I could talk to Steve, but we had ultimately decided against it. I normally only showered every other day, and I didn't want to give Medici any reason at all to be suspicious.

Waiting had nearly killed me.

I gathered up my new change of clothes and then headed into the bathroom where there was no security camera footage. As soon as I'd closed and locked the door behind me, I went into hyperdrive. I pulled out my phone and dialed as I began to undress.

Steve answered on the second ring. "Allie."

I felt a rush of excitement at the sound of his voice, almost as if we were teenagers having a secret phone conversation in the middle of the night. "Steve. Hi."

"How are you? How have you been feeling?"

I tested the water and then stepped into the shower, putting Steve on speakerphone as I did. "Fine. How is everyone doing? Any closer to finding Trent? Did the information that I provided help at all?"

"It definitely narrowed down our search radius, since Medici owns properties all over Europe and likely has even more that aren't in his name. So, you narrowed it down quite a lot."

I spoke the words that I knew he didn't want to say. "But not enough. The circle is still too big."

His hesitation was all the answer that I needed. "Not necessarily. All of the techs are working on it. But Medici obviously isn't stupid enough to keep Trent on one of the properties that actually has his name on it, so they've been looking into aliases, accomplices… something will turn up."

"I hope so." And I sincerely did. I wanted all of this to be over already. "I wish that I could help narrow it down further, but they drove down all different kinds of roads so that they were throwing me off."

"You were stressed," Steve excused.

But that didn't make me feel any better. "I'm trained better than that, Steve. I worked for the _CIA_ , for God's sake. At the time, all that I was thinking about was seeing Trent and making sure that he was okay. And then I guess it all still felt so surreal…"

"Hey, hey, hey," he said soothingly. "Don't worry about that right now, okay? The important thing right now is that you and the baby are safe. Everything is going to be fine. We're all working round the clock on this, okay?"

I nodded, certain that he was telling the truth. "Okay. How are you getting along with everybody?"

"Not to brag, but I think that your father really likes me."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "Of course he does. He has no reason not to."

"I don't know, I kind of thought that he would be mad at me for not asking his permission before I asked you to marry me. That's the classic thing to do, right?"

"And old fashioned." I laughed. "He's actually not too insistent on that kind of thing. What about my uncle?"

"Edward? Yeah, he's great. And I get along really well with Kol, which you already knew."

"And everyone else?" I could think of at least three people that would make it difficult for him and I wondered how he was handling it. They were my family and I was used to them, but he wasn't. Yet.

"It's been a little tense here at times," he admitted. "But your father and Edward are working really hard to make sure that everyone keeps their cool."

"Yeah, I'll bet. Especially since you're holed up in Edward's house. He thinks it's his personal mission to make sure that all of his guests get along."

"Well, he's done a good job so far. No one has taken a swing at someone else yet."

I didn't want to voice it, but I felt like it was only a matter of time. Several years before (when I'd been only sixteen years old), my cousin Alicia had brought home a man that she wanted to marry. The man had been a low-level pickpocket, with no talent beyond that. Her brother had said that he didn't approve of the relationship and called his sister a few… not so kind things. Alicia's boyfriend had gotten mad and then the fists flew.

My family was full of talented, intelligent people that were, for the most part, full of class and dignity. But sometimes… tempers could rise to dangerous levels. I was glad that Steve hadn't run into that problem thus far, but I knew that if he married me, he would see it eventually.

"Well, that's good," I said. "Do you think that there's anything else that I can do to speed things along on your end?"

Steve sighed. "Just keep stalling on the museum heist."

I had a sudden feeling like a stone had settled into the bottom of my stomach. "I'm trying, Steve, but I can't do it forever. Medici is already getting incredibly impatient and I don't know how much longer he'll accept that I don't have any good plans to offer him."

"He won't hurt you," Steve reminded me.

I turned off the water and shivered against the sudden rush of colder air against my skin. "No, he won't hurt me or the baby. But I don't think he's above hurting Trent, and I don't want that to happen. Sooner or later, I'm going to have to pull off this heist."

"And can you do it?" he asked me quietly. "The heist?"

I stepped out of the shower and into the even colder air, watching as goosebumps popped up along my arms. Steve had just asked the question that I'd been asking myself since this whole thing had started, and I hated that I didn't have a good answer for him.

I set my phone on the counter before wrapping my hair in a towel. I was wrapping another towel around my body when Steve spoke, sounding a bit worried. "Allie? Are you there?"

I picked the phone up again and pressed it to my ear, turning the speakerphone off as I did. "I'm here. I was just drying off. When I come out of the bathroom, I have to look like I've kept up my nightly routine as usual, so I'll have to multitask."

"Are you avoiding my question?"

He'd hit the nail on the head, unfortunately. But I should have expected that. He knew me so well. I sighed. "I'm going to put you on speakerphone so that I can work on my nighttime skincare routine. This pregnancy has made my skin break out like I'm a teenager again." I'd never really broken out all that much as a teenager and the breakouts weren't terrible now, but I needed something to say.

Unfortunately, he didn't bite. "Allie. Do you think that, if it comes down to it, you can safely pull off the heist?"

I put the cell on speaker and placed it on the counter as I thought about an answer. "No one can know the future. But I used to be… very good at that kind of thing."

"I know," he said. "You left me that letter and I've talked to your brothers and your father and your uncle. They all say that you were one of the most talented con artists that they'd ever had the pleasure of working with. But the keyword in all of that is ' _were_ '. I'm not concerned with how good you _were_ ; I'm concerned with how good you _are_. _Right now_."

As the lotion that I'd been applying as he talked dried on my skin, I slipped into my silky-smooth pajamas. "Honestly, Steve, it's a coin toss. It's not like I've been practicing pick pocketing or cracking safes or anything like that. _But_ … I did work for the CIA as an operative, and that involved using a lot of the skills that I developed as a con. Then I went to work for several other agencies, including the BAU and the bomb squad. Maybe I won't still be perfect at every single skill that I used to use every single day, but I have other skills now, too. Skills that I never could have dreamed of having before."

He paused for a few moments and then asked, "Are you saying that you think you'd be okay if you had to pull off the heist?"

"I hope to God that I would be," I replied.

"You're the most talented person that I've ever met," he told me. "If anyone can pull it off, it's you. And we'll be here to help in any way that we can without jeopardizing Trent."

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, distorted as it was by the traces of steam. "I know. And I don't think that I could be doing this if it wasn't for the fact that you guys are out there trying to find Trent and help me."

"You could," he argued. "You're one of the strongest people that I know."

"I take that as a compliment, seeing as how you've worked with SEALs and Army Rangers and Five-O."

"It was _definitely_ a compliment."

I wanted to keep talking to him all night – to let him chase away the worst of the nightmare that I was living in – but I knew that my family probably wanted to speak to me as well, and we weren't going to have much time before the men that Medici had watching the cameras got suspicious because I was taking longer than usual.

With a sigh, I said, "If my family wants to talk to me, you might want to make it now. I'm towel drying my hair right now and then I'll almost be done with my nighttime routine. I don't want to risk any suspicion."

"Of course," he agreed, but I could hear the regret in his voice, echoing my own. "I'll head downstairs and put you on speakerphone. I sent Kol a text as soon as you called so that he would gather everyone of importance in the living room."

"Everyone of _importance_?" I teased him as I began to spread moisturizer on my skin. Pregnancy had made it drier than I ever remembered it being.

"The house is ridiculously full. Most other people are double or triple roomed, but I was lucky enough to get my own room. We've got tech people, grunt work people, forgers… all kinds of people. You have a lot of people that care about you, you know." He was walking down the stairs, I could tell from the thud coming from his end.

Tears stung my eyes. "I know. I'd do the same for them, if the roles were reversed."

" _No_ , you wouldn't." There was a warning in his voice. "You would be at home resting until the baby comes, just like you _should_ be doing now."

I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me. "It's not like I had a ton of choice in the matter, you know. Not with Trent at the mercy of Medici, whom I've heard isn't all that merciful when he's after something that he so badly desires."

"Yes, I know. But after all of this is over, I'm chaining you to the bed."

Even though I knew that he didn't mean it _that_ way, I couldn't help but have a little fun with it. In as sexy a voice as I could muster after such a lack of practice, I said, "That could be fun. I'm in."

I knew that he was grinning. "Not like _that_. But after the baby is here, I'll be happy to oblige."

I adopted a slightly whining tone. "After the baby is here, we'll both be too exhausted to _see straight_ , let alone have sex. For at least a few months. Don't tell me that you're going to be one of those men that won't have sex with his pregnant wife because it weirds him out."

"It's not that it weirds me out," he defended. "It's just… I mean, it's… We'll talk about it later. I just made it to the living room."

I fought a laugh. "Sounds good."

Seconds later, a smattering of voices called out different greetings. Kol's voice was the loudest, a shout that I was certain reverberated throughout the entire house.

Tears sprung to my eyes once again and I blinked them back as I cleared my throat. "Hey, everyone. Can you hear me okay?" I imagined them all gathered around Steve, violating each other's personal space just for the chance to hear my voice.

"Loud and clear," my father answered. "Max has you hooked up to this… thing. It amplifies your voice for us all."

"Bluetooth, Dad," Max said with a certain superiority in his voice. "It's just connected to a Bluetooth speaker."

"No need to be a jerk, Max," I admonished him. Our father had never been the most technologically advanced. He – and Uncle Edward, for that matter – preferred to do things the old-fashioned way.

"That's what _I_ keep telling him," Kol said, feigning exasperation. Or perhaps he really _was_ exasperated. "Anyway, how is everything, twin? When are you coming over for dinner?"

"Very soon, I hope," I said. "Steve has updated me on all of your progress. I wish that there was more that I could do to help."

"You just focus on stalling Medici for as long as you possibly can." That had been Uncle Edward.

My father rushed to add, "I don't want you putting yourself in _too_ much danger, though, darling. If Medici seems to be on the verge of snapping, just give him something. We can adjust our plans as needed as long as you let us know what to do."

"I don't really have much of a plan yet," I admitted sheepishly.

Uncle Edward said, "I'm not surprised. The Kingsley Museum is one of the most difficult targets that I can think of. Your mother did it, but only when it was under reconstruction and vulnerable. And I think that's _why_ she chose that time. So that no one else could ever break in and get that box. Steve has told you the truth of the box, yes?"

"You mean that it holds nuclear codes that could help Medici destroy the world? Yeah, we texted about that last night."

"Then you understand why we cannot let him get his hands on it," Edward said.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, at the determined glint in my eyes. "Don't worry, Uncle Edward. We won't."


	43. A Cunning Trap

… **...**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! And I hope that you're excited that I'm posting twice in one week! I'm sort of doing it to make up for the fact that I've missed so many weeks in the past. I'd like to say that this will become the norm until the story is finished, but every time that I promise something it seems that the universe conspires to prevent it from happening. So, all that I'll say for now is that I would** _ **like**_ **for that to be the case.**

 **Anyway, a very big thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or private messaged. I appreciate you all so very much and please don't be afraid to private message me! Someone sent me a private message to talk about the story and said that they would have done it sooner, but they were afraid that they were bothering me. Not at all! I love talking to you all about the show and this story and really anything else.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Thirteen: A Cunning Trap_

Steve

"What time is it there anyway, boss?" Kono asked me.

I glanced at the digital clock beside the bed. "Six-fifteen. I'm eleven hours ahead of you guys."

"It's so weird to think that we're sitting here eating dinner when you haven't even started breakfast yet."

"I have, actually," I corrected Chin. "I got up early this morning and used the treadmill, did some weightlifting… then I had some coffee and a bagel."

"And a shower, I hope," Danny cut in.

"And a shower," I agreed. "So, tell me what everyone has been up to. The only one I've talked to is Danny."

"Not by _our_ choice," Kono reminded me.

"I know, I know. Things have been… crazy. Adjusting to the time change, learning the lay of the land, trying to be as helpful as I can be here…"

Chin spoke. "And trying to adjust to the fact that your fiancée and the mother of your child was taken by an Italian gangster."

"There's that," I agreed.

There was a moment of silence as we all absorbed that once again, and then Kono spoke. "Well, I've still been dating Adam. I think Chin is more used to the idea now."

"He helped us out on a case a few days ago," Chin said. "And, while I don't necessarily _like_ the fact that my cousin who is more like a sister is dating a Yakuza member…"

Kono cut him off. " _Former_ Yakuza. You know that Adam is trying to make the business legitimate now."

"Is he?" I asked in surprise. "That's great!" It seemed almost like a fairytale – a member of one of the most dangerous mobs in the world giving it all up so that he could marry a cop. I was happy for Kono.

"It is," she agreed with a smile in her voice. "His brother's not too happy about it, but Adam says that doesn't bother him. We're really happy. I can't wait for you to get to know him better. Maybe we can all get together at your house once Allie is back, boss. Play some cards, right, Danny?"

"Ha, ha," Danny responded sarcastically while the rest of us laughed, remembering how he had been bested by her at their first card game together. "So funny. I guess it's _my_ turn to give an update now, huh? Um, I'm running Five-O even better than you have, so there's that. And, uh… Grace misses you. She told me to send love. From her, not from me."

"Of course." I smiled as I thought about Danny's daughter, whom I now considered to be my niece. She was a sweet little girl, so how she'd ever been raised by Danny without quashing that was a mystery to me. "How's she doing?"

"She's good, she's good," Danny answered. "I think she's starting to notice boys, so that's terrifying. But, uh… everything else is good. Rachel and I are doing our best to get along for her sake, but Step Stan makes it difficult, you know? He's always buying her those presents and signing her up for _tennis_ …"

"Rich people play tennis, Danny," I pointed out.

"Yes, but I'm not rich, you see. So, it's a problem. Doesn't matter, though; I'm handling it. How's Paris?"

"Getting old," I confided. "I can't wait to come home and see you guys. I miss you." I quickly cleared the lump in my throat.

"We miss you too, boss," Kono said and then her tone brightened. "Oh, but I have a plan, if it's okay with you."

"A plan?"

"A plan," she reiterated. "I want to throw a baby shower for you and Allie. I didn't know if maybe someone had already offered to do one, though."

"Not so far. I only found out she was pregnant after she'd been taken, so it's not like we had a lot of time to tell anyone. And no one in her family has said anything about a shower so far. I think we're all too focused on getting her back to think about things like that. We're taking it one day at a time."

"Well, you take it one day at a time over there and _we_ will plan a baby shower."

" _We_?" Chin asked.

"Excuse me?" Danny said at the same time.

Kono shushed them. "I know that you'll both want some time to adjust after you get back, so we'll plan for about a week after you get back. When is the due date again?"

"May sixteenth." That seemed so far away… It wasn't even Christmas yet.

"Great. Plenty of time. Do you guys know the gender yet?"

"Not yet."

"I'm hoping it's a girl," Danny said, and I could hear the teasing undertone in his voice. "I can't wait to watch him handle her first date."

"I'll just learn from you, buddy," I teased right back. "Grace will be going on her first date any day now, right?"

Chin's laughter told me that Danny's expression was priceless.

" _Anyway_ ," Kono cut in. "Can we do it at your house?"

"That's fine with me, but I think that our plan is to move into Allie's house whenever we get back," I told her. "It's newer and has better amenities. But I don't mind if you throw the shower there. I'm sure that Allie won't mind, either. How's Gideon?"

"Sad," Chin answered after a couple of seconds of silence. "He eats, but rarely finishes what's in his bowl. He misses her."

"He's not the only one." I sighed. "Everyone will be happier once we get her back."

"Well, everyone except for Medici," Danny said. "But screw him. Do you guys have a plan to deal with him once you have Allie and her brother back?"

"Allie's uncle has a plan to pin some crimes on him. Normally, I wouldn't really like to go along with that, but I know that he's committed plenty of crimes that he hasn't been arrested for, so… I don't mind too much this time."

"I wouldn't, either," Chin said. "He deserves it."

"He deserved _more_ than that," Kono agreed, and then said, "So, for the baby shower… anyone that you _don't_ want me to invite?"

"I think we'll be good with just about anyone," I told her.

"What about themes?"

I rolled my eyes. "Kono, you have free reign. Do whatever you think is best."

"I'm not sure that's wise," Chin said, and then there was a sound that made me think that he'd been smacked.

Kono spoke. "I'm on it, boss. It'll be the best baby shower ever. As soon as you know, just send me a text to tell me where Allie is registered. Oh, and the gender."

"Yeah, that's important, too," Danny agreed. "For the… colors and such."

"You're hopeless," Kono sighed. "I don't really need you for the _planning_ part. I need you for the grunt work."

Chin and Danny both protested as I laughed.

Just as I was about to break up their arguing, Kol burst into my room without knocking, which was totally unlike him. But as I opened my mouth to teasingly admonish him, I noticed the wild look in his eyes and the way that his chest was rising and falling rapidly. He was… excited.

Before I could ask what was going on, he said, "We have a lead on Trent. Come downstairs."

"I have to go," I said into the phone and hung up before they could ask what was going on. As I followed Kol at a near sprint down the stairs, I slipped the phone into my pocket and hoped that I would be able to call them back later with some good news. Hopefully, the news that we'd found and rescued both Allie and Trent and that we would be home as soon as we could catch a flight.

We skidded into the living room together and I took in the bustle of activity. Three of the techs were sitting on the long couch, typing furiously on their laptops. Allie's father and uncle were nearby, having a rapid conversation. Her other two brothers were standing against the wall, trying to stay out of the way as other people came and went. It looked like a crazy command post.

"What's going on?" I demanded as I walked over to Allie's father. "Did you find Trent?"

"We think so," he answered me and motioned for Roger to fill me in.

Roger looked up from his laptop, his dark eyes locking with mine. "We were tracing Medici's car. He left the hotel today, ran a few errands… and then went to a warehouse in a shady part of town. Here, watch." With a few strokes of his keyboard, he sent a video to the television.

I turned slightly to watch, and noted a dark black car heading down a mostly deserted street. As it neared a dingy white warehouse, the view changed to a different camera. Moments later, the car stopped and two men wearing dark jeans and dark shirts got out of the front seat. One of them opened a back door, and Medici got out, straightening the jacket of his suit as he looked around to see if anyone was watching them.

When I saw the man that was holding my wife and child captive, my hands balled themselves into tight fists. I knew that if anyone ever left me alone in a room with him… only one of us was walking out. And I was willing to bet that Medici didn't know how to fight; he had goons to do that for him.

The guards that he had with him also looked around, making sure that they hadn't been followed.

"They're certainly acting like they have something to hide," Kol said as he stepped up beside me to watch.

I nodded in agreement. "And whatever it is, it's inside that warehouse."

All three of the men on the screen made their way to the warehouse, looking around the whole time to make sure that what they were doing remained private. At the entrance, they stopped and Medici entered a code into the lock on the door.

"Why have such a fancy lock on an old warehouse?" I asked.

"Because he's hiding something very important in there," Max said with a roll of his eyes.

"Thank you for that revelation, Max," Kol said without taking his eyes off of the screen. "Keep watching."

The men disappeared inside, the door closing behind them.

I looked over to Roger. "How long do they stay in there?"

"Thirty minutes," Roger said as he began to fast forward the video. "But that's not all. After about fifteen minutes, one of the guards goes back to the car and fetches a few things. There."

I turned my attention back to the television and watched as one of Medici's men walked back outside and made his way to the car. He opened the trunk and pulled out a couple of bags before closing it again.

"Can you zoom in?" I asked Roger.

He did so, and I noted that the few things that I could see in the bag were: a bottle of water, a bag of chips, and a sack of bagels. "Food," I noted. "That has to be where he's holding Trent. They're bringing food to him."

"A lot of food, based on the size of those bags," Kol said, expression hard. "Do you think that they're not tying him up? That he's free?"

"That would mean that he's in a _cage_." Kol's rage was echoed on his father's face and in his tone. "We have to get him out of there."

"Send us the address," Edward said to Roger and then addressed the others in the room. "Grab your guns and get out to the cars. We're going to get Trent." As the others rushed out of the room to get ready, he looked to me. "Be thinking of a plan."

I nodded and then sprinted up to my room to grab my gun and pull on some more appropriate clothes. I didn't have a bulletproof vest with me, but that didn't matter. If I was careful enough, I wouldn't need one. There would surely be more of us than there were of them. And Kol, at least, was trained.

"How well does everyone know how to use a gun?" I whispered to Kol as we headed down the stairs together.

"Their aim is good," he told me, "but they're not trained in how to sweep a room or anything like that. We should definitely go in first."

"Ride with me," I told him. "We'll sit in the back and make a plan together."

He nodded and opened the door, sprinting towards the garage. There was a little bit of talk about who was riding with who and who would be driving, and then we were off, the address that Roger had sent us put into the GPS.

Kol and I sat with our heads close together, making a plan for how to enter the building. The keypad was obviously an issue, but it didn't look like there was a lot of other security. Anyway, Roger was working on hacking it for us – he said that there was only the keypad and cameras to worry about, and they were all linked together.

"He doesn't have a reason to worry," I told Kol when he asked if that seemed too easy. "He doesn't think that any of us are here. He's been keeping a watch for us."

"True," Kol agreed, but he still looked troubled.

"It's going to be fine," I told him. "We clear on the plan?"

He nodded.

We arrived fifteen minutes later, but it seemed like it had taken an hour. Unloading didn't take long at all, and soon we were all standing there in a big group and everyone was waiting for my orders. I wasted no time in splitting everyone up into two groups, with Kol and myself as the leaders.

"You go to the back," I told Kol. "We'll wait up here and then we'll kick in the doors as soon as Roger gives the all clear." I addressed everyone else. "Only go in once your leader gives the all clear."

Once everyone was clear, Kol took his group around to the back of the warehouse. After a minute, Kol spoke to me through the walkie talkie we'd brought. "Steve, we're in position."

"Excellent." I called Roger on my cell, and he picked up on the third ring. "Roger, we're ready. Do you have it?"

"Just one more… second," he said, and I could hear typing coming from his end. "It's actually a pretty advanced system."

"So, not as easy as Kol was thinking," I said, and that made me feel a little bit better. "Just tell me when we're clear."

But he didn't need to, because a few seconds later, the light on the keypad flashed green.

"You're good," Roger said, and then hung up.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and grabbed the walkie talkie. "Kol, we're good to go. On my count. Door should be unlocked."

"Ready," he called back.

I took a deep breath and then began to count. "One. Two. Three." I opened the door and then pushed inside, gun at the ready. I didn't see anything at first, so I waved for my group to follow me. Then, I walked further inside.

Kol and I met in the middle of the warehouse, filled only with empty boxes and the bags of groceries in the middle, completely untouched.

"What the hell?" I asked as I spun around.

"There." Kol was pointing to a table against the far wall, and we both ran over there together.

As we got close, my stomach tied itself into a knot and I thought that I might vomit.

On the small card table, there was a single camera with a blinking green light to indicate that it was working. And beside the camera was a handwritten note.

Kol read it aloud for the others as they approached. " _I knew that you were here, and now you've confirmed it for me. Allie has a job to do and, once it is done, I will return her and her brother to you at once. Until then, stay out of the way. If you do not, I will have no choice but to relieve Trent of a few of his fingers. Thank you for your cooperation, Nicolas Medici._ "

The anger washed over me in a flood, and I saw red as I dropped my gun and flipped the table, sending the camera flying into the wall. It broke upon impact, as did the card table. But I knew that the damage had already been done. The camera was likely on an entirely separate server and it would have been transmitting the entire time.

Medici knew that we were in France.

And there was no telling what he would do now.

"He won't hurt Allie," Kol said from somewhere behind me, but it was muffled due to the ringing in my ears from anger.

"But he might hurt Trent, and _that_ would hurt Allie," Max said.

"Why do you have to be so _negative_ all the time?" Kol demanded, and I was certain that he was giving his brother a death glare.

More people joined the conversation and I just stood there, staring at the overturned table. My heart was racing, and I was genuinely terrified for Allie. And for her brother. And angry at myself for not thinking that it was a trap.

A hand came down on my shoulder and I turned to see Kol, his eyes shining just like Allie's did. His smile was sad. "It'll be okay, Steve. This is a minor setback, but we'll figure it out, okay?"

"I don't want him to hurt her," I choked out.

"I don't think that he will." Allie's dad looked as though he'd lost all color in his face, but he sounded certain. "His note was a… final warning, of sorts. He wants us to stay out of it."

"Well, I'm not going to do that," I said firmly.

"None of us are," Edward said, "but we'll have to regroup. No doubt, he'll move Allie and renew all of her possessions. Which means…"

"No more contact," I realized. "Because she'll get a new phone and won't be able to transfer the SIM card."

"We can get Catherine to come back," Kol said desperately. "We'll just make another SIM card and…"

His father was shaking his head. "No, I'm afraid that won't be possible. Medici will be on his guard. I don't think that he would harm Allie or the baby if she got caught, but he would certainly harm Trent. And I know that Allie doesn't want that."

"She doesn't," I agreed. "That's why we're here in the first place. Because she was willing to risk everything to keep her brother safe. If we're going to do this – if we're going to help her – then we need to make sure that we don't get Trent hurt in the process."

"There's nothing more to do here." Edward began to head for the door. "We might as well go back home and come up with a plan."

One by one, we all began to follow him.

The ride back to the house passed in complete silence and seemed to take a year. Once we arrived, we walked into the house to find a small crowd gathered, eager to hear the news or see Allie.

We'd all forgotten to let them know that it had all been a trap.

Not wanting to be the one to crush their hopes and dreams, I pushed past all of them and headed for the stairs.

I knew that I would not be very pleasant company.


	44. Abandon All Hope

… **..**

 **Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another chapter! I got a hilarious private message from someone that talked about how frustrating the last chapter was because it gave them hope and then threw it back in their face. Hence, the name for this chapter. Lol. Sorry if you're mad at me because of the last chapter. Try not to hate me forever.**

 **Thanks so much to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or private messaged. Every show of support means so much to me, and I hope that you'll keep it up and give me the motivation to keep going.**

 **I realized that I haven't done a disclaimer in a while, so… I really only use the Five-O characters, not so much the storyline. All of the OCs are of my own creation. Okay? Okay. Great. Let's go ahead and get started.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Fourteen: Abandon All Hope_

Allie

"Won't work," I growled in frustration and crumpled up the piece of paper. My toss went wide, missing the wastepaper basket by a long shot. That didn't exactly help my mood, which had been at rock bottom most of the day.

I'd been trying to come up with a realistic plan in case I really _did_ end up needing to break in and steal the box. Unfortunately, the Kingsley's security measures were top notch. And updated every single year, just for good measure. Their brand of security cameras had never been hacked, they had motion sensors all over the place, and I'd never even touched a vault like the one that housed their archives. And that only covered the _major_ obstacles. They also had incredibly well-trained security guards, fingerprint scanners that helped to curb access to restricted areas, and staff key cards that were updated every two weeks. They weren't messing around.

I was starting to believe that I couldn't do it even with a handpicked team, and I wouldn't exactly _have_ a handpicked team because Medici wouldn't let me use my people. I'd briefly considered insisting to Medici that the only way to pull off the job would be to have at least three of my people, but I'd dismissed the idea quickly. No way was he going to allow that, even with Trent in captivity. So, no matter how much I needed my family with me on this heist, I wasn't going to get them.

My gaze went to the notebook in front of me and I sighed. Already, I'd written and then crumpled five plans. How many more would I have to do before I came up with one that had a good chance of working? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty?

I'd been messaging my Uncle Edward to see if he had any ideas, but he didn't have much of a clue beyond what I'd already come up with. He had said that the Kingsley Museum was one of the most difficult targets that he could come up with, which wasn't exactly encouraging. And without the access to my people and their talents, I was starting to feel like it was an impossible job. Hell, it probably _was_ an impossible job. And I was just lucky enough to be stuck with it.

There was a beep near the front door and I looked up in confusion. Medici's men would have let me know that they were on the way and Medici hired cleaners that always came when I was out, so it wasn't any hotel staff. Room service, maybe? Sometimes Medici would order my lunch from there and have them bring it up.

But it was Medici himself that came storming through the door, followed closely by a stone-faced guard that closed the door behind them and then stood there to wait. He likely didn't want to be too close to his boss, whose face was red with anger. A vein was throbbing next to his temple, and I knew that whatever was wrong, it couldn't be good. It put me on instant high alert.

I stood as he approached, just because sitting felt far too vulnerable. But I didn't dare speak first; there was no sense in giving away any information unless it was asked for.

I didn't have to wait long. "I had an errand to run today," he told me with forced calm.

Without blinking, I waited for him to say more. _Don't say a word unless he asks you a question. You don't want to inadvertently give anything away_. _There's no proof that he knows anything at all._

"The errand," he went on to explain, "was in a little warehouse not too terribly far from here. Not in a good part of the city. Some call it the slums. Mostly abandoned warehouses that the homeless sleep in, but some people buy them to store their things."

He paused, waiting for me to respond, but I said nothing. I was, however, curious as to where this was going.

"Do you know what happened?"

Again, I said nothing, only raising my eyebrows in a silent question. What could have possibly happened in a warehouse in the slums that would have made him so angry?

"I set up a single camera, not connected to the same network as my security cameras on the building itself. Do you know why I did that?"

And the realization hit me like a punch in the stomach. He'd set a trap for my family and Steve. And if his anger was anything to go by, it had worked. He knew that they were in the city. Still, I kept my face a careful mask and said nothing.

"I did it," he continued, "because I wanted to know if anyone was keeping an eye on you and, by extension, _me_. And surprise, surprise, your family and your _fiancé_ came to try to rescue Trent, whom I wanted them to believe was inside. I assume that their next course of action would have been to come and rescue _you_."

Well, he knew everything, so there was no sense in staying too silent. "I would think so."

"This is unacceptable. How did they know that you were here?"

 _I left a message in lipstick for them under the mat in my bathroom because I'm not a total idiot. And they're not total idiots, either, so they likely would have found me anyway._ "I don't know."

He stepped so close that I could smell the wine that he'd likely had with his lunch. "You're lying." In his eyes, I saw a coldness that made me shiver.

There was no way that he could tell that I was lying from my masked expression. I had long since perfected my mask. "No, I'm not."

After staring at me for a few more moments, he took one step back. "Perhaps not, but the fact remains that they know that you're here. They likely know what you've been up to."

"Then I suppose that you want to call the whole thing off?" It was wishful thinking. No way was he going to give up. "You haven't put too much money into this whole thing." Not by _his_ standards, anyway. This fancy hotel suite was worth pennies to someone like him. "Not much harm in walking away."

"Over my dead body," he growled and began to pace the small area between the living and kitchen areas, the soles of his Italian leather shoes tapping dramatically. "They know where you're staying, I presume, so we'll need to move you immediately. I'll get my men on it. The heist will have to continue as planned, but you're now on a deadline. One week should be plenty of time, I think."

" _One week_?" I hadn't meant to shout, but it couldn't be helped. "That's not _nearly_ enough time. Don't you have _any_ idea about the plethora of security measures that they have in place? The Kingsley might as well be Fort Knox!"

"Perhaps you should have thought about that before you tipped your family off." Medici ceased his pacing and glared at me, his eyes so dark that I couldn't tell the pupils from the irises. "Give me your phone."

My heart stopped.

I needed to stall. "What? Why?"

He stepped closer to me. "Because I think you've been communicating with them. How else could they have found you so fast?"

He wouldn't be able to find the secret messages, Max had made sure of that, but I still didn't want to hand over my phone. It was my only means of communicating with them. With Steve. "Haven't you had your men monitoring my phone? Why would I ever want to risk Trent's safety to communicate with them?"

"Why, indeed?" He held out his hand. "Hand it over. _Now_." His tone left no room for argument.

With a heavy heart, I took the cell phone out of my pocket and handed it to him.

I'd thought that he would look through it and try to find any emails or messages. Instead, he threw it on the ground and smashed it with his shoe. It was all that I could do to hold back the tears of anger, frustration, and incredible sadness. I'd felt alone ever since I'd been taken and now that I could finally communicate with Steve again, Medici was taking it all away.

But I had to keep my expression neutral, as if nothing was wrong. Because if he knew that I'd been communicating with them, he would hurt Trent; I had no doubt about that.

Once the phone was completely broken, Medici looked at me with a cold smile. "There. Much better."

I gestured to it. "So, how am I supposed to do research now?"

"I'll get you another phone. A completely different model. You'll have it by the day's end." So, even if I managed to dig the SIM card out of the wreckage and it happened to not be broken, it wouldn't work in my new phone. My communication with my family and Steve was officially over.

"Well, since you smashed my phone with my notes in it, the least that you could do is extend my deadline."

"No." He headed for the door. "But I will allow your week to begin tomorrow."

"How generous," I grumbled.

He turned to face me as his hired muscle opened the door for him. "I'd suggest that you begin packing. We'll be leaving within the hour. I'll send some men up to collect your belongings."

"Fine." I tried my best to act as though that didn't bother me.

He turned around with one foot outside the door, the coldness back in his eyes. "And, Allie?"

With barely suppressed rage bubbling beneath the surface, I spoke through my teeth. "Yes?"

"Clearly, my threat to Trent isn't quite enough, so how about this? If you communicate with your family or _anyone_ without my permission ever again, Trent won't be the only one to get hurt."

With my heart beating harder, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"So far, I've stuck to my code. I don't hurt women or children. But that might change if you continue to defy me."

 _No! You can't hurt my baby!_ But what came out was, "Hurting an innocent child would make you nothing but a monster."

"But what kind of mother would it make you?" he questioned. "To defy me at the risk of your child's life?"

I said nothing, acting as though his threat hadn't made the impact that he had wanted it to.

But once he was gone, I barely made it into the bathroom before I had a full-scale panic attack.

 _What the hell am I supposed to do now?!_

Steve

"Anything?" Kol asked me, but I was sure that he could read the answer all over my face.

"Nothing." I stared down at the phone in my hands, at the messages that I'd typed to Allie. She hadn't responded in the two hours since I'd first attempted, which meant that Medici had already taken her phone. His next step was likely to move her so that we wouldn't know where she was. And I wouldn't have been surprised if he refused to let her go to the museum again.

It felt like my whole world had come crashing down.

We'd found her, we'd discovered a way to communicate with her, and things had been going fine. We'd been working on a plan to get her and Trent out of there and throw Medici into jail. And somehow, Medici had been a few steps ahead of us.

Edward had demanded to know if anyone had dared to leave the house without taking the necessary precautions, but a thorough review of the security system had revealed that no one had. Medici had likely only had a suspicion and had decided to act on it. And he'd been correct.

I cursed and sank down onto the bed, fighting back tears. I'd never been an emotional guy, but this whole thing with Allie was really messing me up. I was sick of being away from her. I hated Medici for taking her away from me. I hated myself for not being able to be there during her pregnancy. I hated her mother for getting everyone into this mess in the first place.

Then again… she'd only been trying to keep nuclear codes away from someone who was likely to sell them to the highest bidder…

Still. I was allowed to be angry.

"We'll figure something else out," Kol said, but I could see that he didn't truly believe it. Medici would be even more on guard now, and getting access to her before had been plenty tricky.

"We won't be able to use Catherine again. Medici will likely be asking his people to comb through any footage of Allie to try to see if she somehow made contact with us."

He nodded. "I know. It'll take longer than either of us will like, but we can figure something else out."

"I hope so," I sighed, suddenly exhausted from the days' events. "Do you mind leaving me alone for a bit? I… I'm just exhausted and not very good company right now."

Without any hesitation, Kol stood up and headed for the door. Once he'd reached it, he turned and forced a smile. "We'll get her back, Steve. I know we will. And you two are going to get married and have a beautiful baby, and everything is going to turn out fine."

He believed that, I could tell. The trouble was that neither of us knew _when_ that would be able to happen. "I know. I'm trying to think of the positives. All of the good things that are going to happen once Allie and I go back to Hawaii. Kono is planning a baby shower."

Kol cursed. " _I_ was going to do that."

I raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. " _You_ were going to plan a _baby shower_? Aren't those normally events for women?"

"Not exclusively," he snapped back, borderline defensive. "They're for anyone that wants to partake in the joy of an incoming new life."

I fought a laugh. "You've obviously given this a lot of thought. But Kono has already started her planning. I guess the two of you could tag team it. I can give you her number, if you want." The idea of Kol and Kono trying to plan a party together brought my mood up a couple of notches.

He sighed a bit too dramatically and said, "No, no. You've already told her that she can do it and I won't take that away from her. I'll just suffer in silence."

Not bothering to fight my smile this time, I said, "You're not exactly being _silent_ about it."

"Then I'll take my misery elsewhere." He opened the door and then gave me one last glance. "Good night."

I didn't have time to respond before he was already gone. With him, he took all levity. Immense sadness was staring me in the face and I had nothing to do with it.

Nothing except to lean on the man that had gotten me through some of the worst times in my life.

He answered on the third ring, his voice as gruff and confident as I remembered. That voice had lifted me up when I was at my lowest and reamed me after some of my stupider stunts. "Been a long time. I was wondering when you were going to call."

My spirit lifted a bit at hearing his voice. "Most people say _hello_ when they answer the phone, Joe."

"I'm not most people." No, he was not. "How have you been, son?"

"It's been a rough couple of months, Joe." I cleared my throat, afraid that he could hear the tears in my voice. "That's why I called."

He sighed, but it wasn't a longsuffering sigh. "Why can't you ever just be calling to say hello and ask how my retirement is going?"

" _Retirement_?" I asked him incredulously. "Joe, you were on a mission a month and a half ago when I called you."

"Well, I'm retired now. Been hanging out on a ranch in Montana."

"A _ranch_?" I hadn't thought that he could surprise me anymore. "What in the world is there for you to do on a _ranch_?"

"There's plenty to do on a ranch, Steve." His voice held an air of wisdom, much as it had back in my SEAL training days. "Ride horses, go hunting, have a little bit of peace and quiet without someone shooting at your head… I'm rather enjoying my time out here."

"To each his own," I muttered.

"Now, are you going to tell me about why you called, or do you want to play twenty questions?"

"I'm surprised that you even know what twenty questions _is_."

"Okay," he growled. "Get on with it before I hang up on you."

"I've told you about Allie," I reminded him, just in case his memory was going.

But Joe White was as sharp as he'd been back in his days as a SEAL. "I remember. Governor Denning put her on the team and you weren't too happy about it. But she turned out to be quite the asset and, apparently, quite the charmer. Last I recall, you were smitten with her."

"I wouldn't call it _smitten_ ," I grumbled, even though that's exactly what it was.

" _I_ would," he said with a smile in his voice. "So, what about her? She didn't break up with you, did she?"

"No, she didn't break up with me. It's… it's a bit of a long story. Do you have time?"

"If I don't, I'll make it." His words almost made me tear up. "Tell me what's going on."

With a bit of pride in my voice, I said, "I'll tell you the biggest piece of news first. I… I'm going to be a dad."

There was silence on the other end and I almost worried that I'd lost him, but then I heard the emotion in his voice when he said, "Steve, that's so wonderful. Your father would be so proud of you. When's the baby due?"

"In the middle of May. We don't know yet if it's a boy or a girl."

"It won't matter," he assured me, as if he'd ever had children before. "You'll love it no matter what, though I _do_ pity any daughters that you may have. They'll never stand a chance on the dating front."

"No," I agreed. "They won't."

"Well, that's just wonderful. Are you two planning to get married before or after the baby is born? I know that when you called me as I was heading out for my last op that you had proposed and she said yes. Wedding still on?"

"Still on, but on hold right now. There's… there's a lot going on right now."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," he said when I paused for too long to suit him. "Tell me what's going on."

So, I took a deep breath and told him about my living nightmare.

Allie

When I woke up, it was still dark in the room. The digital display on the alarm clock told me that it was just past three in the morning – far too early to be up. I was still groggy, and at first, I just assumed that I had woken up because I was in a new place. Medici had wasted no time in moving me, and I now resided in a new fancy hotel suite fifteen minutes away from the other one.

I rolled over with the intention of going back to sleep.

But then I felt it… the cold wetness on my legs.

Suddenly wide awake, I bolted into the bathroom and flipped the light on, squinting against the assault on my pupils. Once I'd reached the toilet, I pulled down the pajama pants and almost threw up.

Staining the gray fabric of my underwear was a large, still damp stain of blood.


	45. The Unexpected Guest

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! I hope that all of you that celebrate it had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I certainly did, and my 18 month old was in heaven as he walked around the table stealing bites from every single person that would let him (which was everyone, because he's adorable and he knows it). I ate way too much, just as it should be, and I also got some good Black Friday shopping done. How did you all enjoy your holidays?**

 **I wanted to (as always) say a quick thank you to all of you that have read, reviewed, followed, favorited, and private messaged. And especially to those of you that have left a review on every single chapter. That's just amazing and I appreciate it so very much. I love connecting with everyone, and I appreciate every single show of support. So… thank you so very much.**

 **As you can probably tell, I'm posting twice a week just like I said that I was going to try to. (A week to me if Monday-Sunday, because that's how my work schedule works. Just in case any of you out there are Sunday-Saturday people.) That's still my goal, but I'm not going to promise anything because… well… you know why. But let me know if you like this posting schedule or if you would prefer for it to be a little slower so that you have more time to keep up. Leave your preference in the reviews or feel free to private message me. I love talking to my readers!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Fifteen: The Unexpected Guest_

Allie

Dr. Dubois had gotten me in for an extra early appointment that same morning, and I sat in the waiting room with more anxiety than I'd ever experienced in my entire life. I sat in one of the comfortable wingback chairs, tapping my palms against the arms in a crazy rhythm. My right leg was bouncing up and down at a pace that I would have thought impossible, and my stomach had tied itself into knots.

Next to me, one of Medici's men kept stealing annoyed glances from behind a generic men's magazine. Likely, they got lots of husbands in that waiting room that needed something to combat boredom while their wives were being checked. I would have felt kind of bad for him… if I didn't hate him so much because of who he worked for.

I needed Steve with me – had even begged Medici to let me call him once I'd told him what had happened – but it wasn't going to happen. I hadn't gone back to sleep after I'd found the blood, but I didn't feel exhausted in the least. I had called the hospital's on call line and had spoken to an OB nurse, who had told me to keep an eye on the bleeding overnight and she would try to get me an appointment with my doctor for the next morning. I'd done nothing but worry since that conversation.

Suddenly, my nurse rounded the corner and I didn't even give her a chance to call my name. I vaulted up from my seat and walked her way, leaving the guard to read his magazine while he waited for me.

The nurse smiled kindly at me as she gestured for me to step onto the scale. "I heard about what happened. Are you doing okay?"

"Relatively," I lied. I was not doing okay _at all_. What kind of pregnant woman did okay with bleeding during her second trimester? I had Googled 'bleeding during the second trimester', and none of the things that I'd read had been very encouraging.

 _Please let my baby be okay_.

She took me into the usual exam room and told me to sit on the table. "Dr. Dubois will likely do a vaginal exam, but I'm just going to ask you some questions."

So, she proceeded to ask me about ten questions. I had the answers immediately, as my search on Google had revealed what might happen at such an appointment. She took my heart rate, O2 stats, blood pressure, and checked the baby's heartbeat. Once she had all of the information that she needed, she stood and pulled a gown out of one of the drawers. As she handed it to me, she smiled kindly. "Put this on and he'll be in here as soon as he can, okay?"

I took the gown with shaky hands and began to change as soon as she had left the room.

Then, I just sat on the padded table and waited impatiently.

Four minutes and fifteen seconds later, Dr. Dubois entered the room and gave me a reassuring smile as he sanitized his hands. "How are you holding up, Allie?"

"Not so great." There was no sense in lying to him. "I woke up at three this morning and there was some blood."

"Okay." He didn't appear to be alarmed, but I was certain that he'd perfected his calm mask over his years of practice. "How much blood was there?"

I held my hands up in a circle comparable in size to the one I'd found in my panties earlier that morning. "A stain this big in my underwear. And then I put on a regular pad and it hasn't bled much since then."

"Okay." He took his stethoscope off and placed it on the nearby counter. "And are you bleeding right now?"

"No."

"That's good. All right, I'm going to have you lie back on the table, scoot your bottom all the way to the edge, and put your feet in the stirrups. Do you need any help?"

I shook my head as I began to move into position. Though I was a few weeks into my second trimester, I didn't look pregnant at all. I was a little fuller in my abdomen, but you couldn't even tell with my clothes on. When I'd said that to my father, he'd told me that my mother had been the same way and it was likely just good genetics.

Dr. Dubois stepped up to my side and gave me an encouraging smile as he pulled on some latex gloves. "I'm just going to do a quick exam and see if we can tell what's going on, okay?"

After a deep breath, I nodded. "Okay."

The exam was quick, though incredibly uncomfortable. After he'd straightened back up, he pulled off the gloves and threw them into the trash as I sat up. "Nothing wrong there that I can tell. Your cervix is still closed, which is what I was hoping for. I'm going to run out and grab an ultrasound machine, and I'll be right back, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

"You can go ahead and change back into your normal clothes while I'm gone," he said, and then he left.

I took the opportunity to clean myself up a bit and then ditch the gown. My own clothes felt so much more comfortable, and I felt more at ease when I sat down on the table again. He had seemed encouraged that everything was okay, but I supposed that the ultrasound would be the major decider.

He was back a couple of minutes later, wheeling the small machine in behind him. He asked me to lie back once more and then he covered the wand with the special gel and placed it on my abdomen. After a few seconds, he turned the screen to face me and I saw my baby moving its arms.

The sight was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

My baby was okay.

After a few minutes of looking and listening to the rapid heartbeat that was normal for fetuses, he smiled and handed me a towel so that I could clean my stomach off. "Everything looks fine. I don't see any sign of bleeding, the baby is moving and its heartrate looks good, and the placenta is right where it should be."

I sat up, relieved but confused. "Then why did I wake up bleeding?"

He finished cleaning the wand and set it back in its holder before taking a seat on the small stool across from me. "The only explanation that I can come up with is that your blood pressure was high. That can do some crazy things to some pregnant women."

"Why would my blood pressure be high?" I'd always been in top physical condition, and I obviously hadn't gained much weight during my pregnancy.

"Are you under any kind of overwhelming stress?"

I thought of the heist and Medici and Trent in captivity.

My face must have been all the answer that he needed, because he nodded. "Stress – especially _a lot_ of stress – isn't good for a pregnancy. Try to keep it down."

 _I wish that I could_. "Got it."

He typed something into his computer – likely just the exam findings and his instructions. "Try to take it easy, at least for today. Stay in bed, get some sleep, and just try to relax as much as possible. And in the future, try to slow down a little bit. Believe me, you'll have plenty to keep you occupied for the next eighteen years. For now, try to rest."

Planning and executing a museum heist wasn't exactly _resting_ , but I just nodded. "I'll try to keep the stress down." As much as I _could_ try until this whole thing with the box was over.

He finished typing, closed out the computer, and turned to face me. "Do you have any other questions?"

"No." I smiled sheepishly. "I actually feel really bad for wasting your time."

His smile was not condescending in the least. "You're not wasting my time. You had a concern, and it's my job to address it. You were being responsible by getting it checked out. Bleeding in the second or third trimester can definitely be a cause for concern. You're just one of the lucky ones."

I didn't feel all that lucky, but I didn't voice that. "Thank you."

"Go home and get some rest," he reminded me before he slipped out of the room to go and see his next patient.

He'd only been gone about twenty seconds when I began to break down, first in one or two tears and then into sobs. There was something about the security of knowing that I wasn't being filmed that made it feel safe to tear apart.

I was okay and my baby was okay, but nothing else felt okay. Steve couldn't be here for this appointment or for any other. I couldn't talk or text Steve because Medici had gotten rid of my phone and it was doubtful that we'd be able to pull off a SIM switch again. I didn't even know when I would get to see Steve again. And there was a very real possibility that I could get caught in this heist and end up being thrown in jail for years upon years.

What would happen then?

"No," I said aloud, though there was no one else in the room with me. There was something about hearing it out loud that made it much more powerful than it was inside of my own head. "Don't do this. Don't give up."

My breathing slowly began to return to normal and I could feel my heart as it steadied. The terrible things that had been swirling around in my mind disappeared, and I was left with an almost chilling calm. A calm that I recognized from my days with the CIA.

And suddenly I wasn't in that exam room anymore. I was hundreds of miles and thousands of hours away.

" _I killed someone today_." _The confession tasted acrid in my mouth. But it was nothing compared to the way that I felt… sick… dirty._

 _Across the small table from me, Ari didn't flinch. "Okay."_

 _Irrational anger filled me and I snapped at him. "Are you_ listening _to me? I_ killed _someone today!"_

 _Still, he was calm. "Do you want to tell me how it happened?"_

" _I don't know how much I_ can _tell you_." _It was an incredibly petty thing to say. Yes, the CIA would charge me with treason if they knew that I was telling a Mossad agent about my missions. But Ari wasn't just a Mossad agent. He was also one of the only people that could understand._

 _He sighed. "Take a breath."_

" _Why?"_

" _Just do it." His tone left no room for argument. "Breathe in. Now. And hold it."_

 _I did as he'd asked. And just when I thought that I couldn't hold it any longer…_

" _Breathe out," he said. "And do it again." Once we'd repeated that a few times and I was noticeably calmer, he asked me what had happened._

" _I was just supposed to break in and take the laptop," I began once I had given him the basics of the mission. "The scouting had already been done… they just needed someone that was good at… well… being like_ me _. The laptop was always downstairs in the office, which was the most heavily fortified room. But it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle."_

 _When I paused for too long, Ari gave me a gentle nudge. "Obviously, it didn't go according to plan. The agency doesn't send_ you _in to kill people. What happened?"_

" _I got through the perimeter security and disarmed every security measure in the office. But the laptop… it wasn't in the office like it was supposed to be. I told Mikey and he told me to get out of there, and then I heard the footsteps. I dove behind the desk just in time. If I had stayed where I was… I'd be dead right now."_

 _Ari reached across the table and grabbed my hands, his eyes warm and comforting. "It was self-defense."_

" _Yes," I agreed. "I just grabbed the gun from the holster and started shooting. When he wasn't shooting anymore, I just ran. I forgot the laptop and the mission and everything and I just ran."_

" _The first kill is always the hardest."_

 _I ripped my hands away from his and stood up, shocked that he would say such a thing after what I'd just told him. "I don't_ want _there to be any more! I didn't even want to kill this one! I'm not a killer! I'm not…" But I trailed off as I realized what was about to come out of my mouth._

 _Ari stood. "You're not… what? An assassin like me?"_

 _That wasn't what I'd been trying to say, but there was no point in dodging the truth. We were both too smart for that. "No. I'm not."_

 _He nodded and stepped closer, and I let him pull me into an embrace. I nuzzled against his chest and inhaled the scent of him, allowing it to clear my mind. I just focused on_ him _. On the feeling of his strong hands against the back of my head and braced against my lower back. On the softness of his knit sweater. On anything but the pain that had refused to go away since the incident._

" _Some people are under the impression that we assassins are psychopaths that have found the job that we're best at." His voice was a low murmur near my ear. "But I'm not psychopathic. I feel. I feel_ everything _."_

" _Then how do you do it?"_

 _He sighed and held me even tighter. "I remember who I am. A man that wants to make the world a better place. And if that means that I have to kill bad people to do it, then so be it. But no matter how many people I kill, I'll still be_ me _."_

" _You make it sound easy."_

 _He chuckled, even though I did not find the situation funny in any way. "It's not. But there comes a time – many times, in fact – that you have to look inside yourself and pull out the last shred of motivation and use it to keep going. You're strong enough to do that. I know you are."_

Still back in that apartment in Washington D.C., I hopped off of the exam table and walked over to the sink. I saw my reflection in the mirror – the red eyes and the circles underneath them that no concealer could hide. I saw a pregnant woman that wasn't gaining the weight that she needed to during pregnancy. I saw borderline greasy dark hair pulled up into a messy bun because I hadn't wanted to mess with it.

And then I refused to see that.

In my eyes, I saw years worth of experience that could help me pull off this heist. I saw a pregnant woman that was struggling, but still holding on for herself and her child. I saw hair that had just been pulled up out of the way because there were far more important things to worry about.

"I know who I am," I whispered to my reflection, but maybe also to the memory of Ari, who surely would have been proud of how I'd pulled myself together.

After quickly splashing my face with water and then drying off, I went back out into the waiting room and waved for Medici's guy to follow me. Once in the car, I told him what the doctor had said so that he could inform Medici. I wasn't going to talk to Nicolas again unless it was absolutely necessary.

My plan was to spend the day in bed resting.

Resting and… planning the heist of the century.

Steve

"Let's face it," Max said, ignoring the daggers that Kol was shooting from his eyes. "We're no closer to finding Trent than we were when we got here, we no longer have any communication with Allie, _and_ Medici knows that we're here, so his security is going to be even tighter."

Before Kol could blow up, their father literally stepped between them and held up his hands. I had a feeling that this wasn't the first time that he'd had to come between them, so I let him handle it, as the experience was clearly on his side.

"Enough," he said to Kol, and then he turned his gaze to his other son. "And thank you for that ray of sunshine, Max."

Kol stepped away, but Max (unfortunately) did not. "We don't _need_ sunshine and optimism right now, Dad. We _need_ facts. We _need_ a plan. We need to rescue Trent and Allie before Allie is forced to attempt this heist that might get her arrested and thrown in jail for the rest of her life."

"I doubt," Uncle Edward spoke from his armchair on the other side of the room, "that she would be in jail for the rest of her life."

"I don't want her to be in jail _at all_ ," I spoke up, even though I'd remained quiet for the better part of an hour while Kol and Max had been arguing about what the plan should be going forward.

" _No one_ wants her in jail," Max said as though that was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard (even though I knew for a fact that he had heard Kol mispronounce "waffle" earlier that same day). "But we need to face the reality of the situation. And we need to come up with a plan. _Now_."

"No one is disputing that." Kol had turned back around and was clearly not taking any more of Max's shit. "What we don't agree with is your _stupid_ plan."

Max's face turned red, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by someone clearing their throat as they came into the room.

There were gasps.

Kol's jaw dropped almost all the way to the floor.

Max (for once) didn't have anything to say.

Uncle Edward stood and couldn't seem to find his words.

But it was Allie's father's reaction that stumped me… He looked like he was seeing a ghost.

I took the silence to turn and study the woman that was standing in the doorway. Something about her was so familiar…

She was 5'6 or 5'7, with an athletic build. Her almost auburn hair was pulled up into a neat bun which, when coupled with the navy slacks and blazer that she wore, gave her a professional look. But it was her eyes that struck me the most. They were a blue unlike anything I'd ever seen… except for once before.

"Allie," I realized, and then it hit me like a train. "You're Allie's mother."

She shifted slightly to get a good look at me. Once done with her perusal, she frowned slightly. " _You_ I don't know."

Kol stepped up beside me, and I could feel the tension in every muscle of his body. "Nor _will_ you. Goodbye, Mother."

But before she could respond to her son, Allie's father stepped up with an unreadable expression on his face. "Evelyn, perhaps we should talk outside."

They'd only been gone a moment when Max voiced what we were all thinking. "What the _fuck_ just happened?"


	46. Excuses and Explanations

… **..**

 **Welcome back to yet another chapter! Thanks to all of you that continue to read, and thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or private messaged me. Each little show of support is so very important to me, so please keep it coming! I love to hear from my readers!**

 **I realized that I haven't done a disclaimer in a while, so here it goes: I only use the characters of the show, not the timeline. All OCs are mine. So, if you think that something can't have possibly happened because that wouldn't fit with the timeline of the show, rest assured that it** _ **does**_ **make sense because I don't use the timeline at all. Great. Thanks.**

 **Was anyone else upset that there wasn't an episode last week? I haven't exactly been in love with this season, but I still found myself missing it on Friday night. Ah, well. There's always this week.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Sixteen: Excuses and Explanations_

Steve

I knew that I shouldn't have been doing it.

Eavesdropping was for little kids that wanted to know what their parents were planning to get them for Christmas. But… it was also for former Navy SEALs that wanted to hear what their future mother-in-law had to say about her absence for all of these years.

At least… that's what I kept telling myself.

Alex and Evelyn had gone into the gardens to have their talk, and since it was growing dark, I had no trouble getting low to the ground and crawling up to a hedge that would hide me from their line of sight. I just had to hope that they wouldn't wander too far away as they talked.

"It's no excuse," Alex was saying, and he sounded angrier than I'd ever heard him. "You left in the middle of the night with an absolutely _shitty_ note that you somehow thought would make things all better."

"I didn't think that the note would make things _all better_ ," Evelyn replied in a voice so similar to Allie's that my heart skipped a beat. "I hoped that the note would discourage any of you from looking for me. I couldn't exactly tell you what I had done. You would have tried to help me."

When Allie's dad spoke, I could tell where she'd gotten her sarcastic wit. "Yes, heaven _forbid_ you let your husband _help you_. Why the hell did you steal the box in the first place, Evelyn? Did you see it in Medici's vault one day and think that it looked so pretty, and you just _had_ to have it?"

Her voice as cold as ice, Evelyn said, "Don't make me sound petty, Alex. You know me better than that."

"No, I _knew_ you better than that. I haven't seen you for two decades. I don't know _who_ you are anymore."

She sighed, obviously unable to dispute that. "But you _knew_ me then. When I took the box. I took it because of what it contained." She paused. "You _do_ know what it contains, right?"

"We do." When Alex didn't continue, Evelyn must have given him a look, because he spoke again moments later. "Nuclear codes. Codes that could be deadly in the hands of anyone that had even less than half a mind to use them. And apparently, the codes can't be changed without the original codes. Quite a flaw in the Russian system, but it is what it is."

She sounded impressed. "You've done your homework."

"I'm not an amateur, Ev." He didn't mention that it was actually Catherine that had gotten us that information through her contacts. That wouldn't have looked quite as impressive.

"I know that you're not an amateur. But the box's secrets have been very well-hidden. I only found out because I was approached by an agent from Interpol."

That must have been just as much a surprise to Alex as it was to me, because his next words came out much louder. " _What_? _Interpol_ approached you?"

"You know that we were on their radar back then." Evelyn remained calm. "When the agent approached me, I just thought he was going to ask me a question about that diamond heist in Rome. But then he told me that he had a job for me. Top secret. He had uncovered the secrets surrounding the box and he needed someone to get it out of Medici's hands before he decided to sell it to the highest bidder."

"So, why approach _you_?" Alex asked her. "Not to say that you're not talented, because you certainly _are_ , but what made him think that you were the best choice?"

She sighed, and I heard her sit on the stone bench that was just on the other side of the hedge that I had hidden behind.

Perfect.

"He knew my background – that my father had been a Royal Marine. I suppose that he thought that kind of honor was bred into me. He wasn't wrong."

Alex also sat down, but I suspected that he was keeping his distance. "So, he chose you – the con artist of your family – instead of one of your siblings. And… I wouldn't exactly call leaving your family _honorable_."

"I wouldn't, either." She sounded sad. "But I didn't see another option. I was close to Medici, so I had the best way in. I was talented enough to pull it off. And if I didn't do it… there was a chance that Medici would sell the box to someone that would use it to hurt as many people as possible. Maybe even my children. I had to do something."

"So, tell me what happened."

She took a deep breath before she began. "I told the Interpol agent that I would do it, but on several conditions. First, he could never put my name on the record. Second, I wanted all suspicions of my previous crimes to be explained away. And third… I asked that he contact the CIA and ask them to give Allie a chance to work for them."

That surprised me just as much as it sounded like it surprised Alex. "Why the CIA? And why only Allie?" Exactly the questions that I had.

"The CIA because I felt that they could give Allie the best protection. And only Allie because I knew that she would be the only one that would even _think_ about switching sides. But if maybe _she_ did… Kol would, too. And Allie has always had _exceptional_ talent. I knew that the CIA could use her, and she could do some good in the world."

"Well, they obviously agreed to your conditions, so what happened next?"

It was silent for a moment, and then Evelyn spoke again, sounding far away. "I stole the box. Medici had invited me over and then left to take a business call and I sprung into action. I knew exactly where it was, and the security measures were no match for me and all of the research that I'd done. I smuggled it out of his house and then headed for the airport where I was supposed to meet the Interpol agent."

"That didn't happen?" Alex sounded surprised. "The Interpol agent wasn't the one that told you to hide the box somewhere that Medici could never find it? We were all operating under the assumption that hiding it in the Kingsley archives had been your plan all along."

"No," Evelyn said as if it should have been obvious. "We were actually supposed to return it to the Russian government so that they could fix their nuclear system. But… it obviously never happened. I was on my way to the airport when the agent called me and told me that he'd been compromised. He told me that he was trying to get away, but that Medici's men knew that I had taken the box. He begged me to hide it until we could get to it again. All that I had with me was the new identity that he'd created for me."

That seemed like such an impossible situation. I found myself respecting her a great deal for all that she had done.

"I was driving the opposite way when I came upon the Kingsley Museum. It was closed down while maintenance was being performed and an addition built. There were so many people in varying uniforms… I saw my opportunity. So, I snuck a construction vest, made my way inside, and stashed the box in the archives."

Alex finished for her. "And by the time that anyone could find out what you'd done, the Kingsley would have become one of the most secure locations in the world."

"I had no way of knowing that," she said. "I planned to go back in later and get it back, but I just never got the chance. I met up with the agent and he said that we had to get out of Paris right then. By the time we thought that it would be safe to go back and get it, the Kingsley had its new security and we decided that it would be well-protected there until everything died down and we could go and get it back. We couldn't just march in with guns and badges, because then Medici would have learned where it was. Our safest bet was to operate under the assumption that Medici didn't think that we actually knew what was in the box. That I had only stolen it because it was a valuable piece of art. We thought that Medici would never be able to discover its location."

"How _did_ he?"

Evelyn sighed. "I'm not entirely sure. A year ago, I got a call from a close friend that works for Interpol. She told me that there'd been some hits on my new name, and she thought that Medici had found me. I wasn't too worried because I moved around all of the time to stay away from him, but I became concerned for all of you. That's when I started tracking you down and calling in favors to try and keep you safe."

"You failed," Alex said bitterly. "Trent was taken, and Allie is being forced to steal back the box that _you_ stole in the first place."

Her voice was sad. "I know that I failed. And I'm wishing that I'd never gotten involved in the first place, but I couldn't let Medici have those codes. Even in the present situation, I think that I did the right thing. I'm just sorry that Medici ever got Allie and Trent involved."

Alex let out a long, slow breath. "Me too. To tell you the truth, I wasn't checking in on Allie as much as I should have been. We had a fight when she wanted to join the CIA, and nothing was ever the same afterwards. We still talked, but not as often. And not about anything that really mattered. Hell, _Kol_ told me more about her and her life than she ever did. I've been a terrible father to her."

If Evelyn hadn't protested, I likely would have. "No, you haven't. You were forced into an awful position when I left, but you've done a wonderful job. _I'm_ the one that's been terrible."

"You had your reasons," he said gruffly. "Not that I think that's an acceptable excuse."

"It's not," she agreed with him. "And not a day went by that I didn't have regrets."

"Then why stay away?" All of the heartbreak that I felt at losing Allie was present in his voice. Allie had never talked much about the relationship that her parents had had before her mother had run away, but it was evident that they had loved each other very much.

Evelyn's voice held just as much sadness. "For the kids. I asked Interpol to put out the word that I had acted on my own. I hoped that Medici would spare you."

"He did." Alex sighed. "Until now."

"Has there been any word from Allie?" I could tell from her tone that she was genuinely concerned for her daughter, and I warmed to her.

Alex proceeded to tell her about the brief window of communication that we'd had with her before Medici had sprung his trap and taken it away.

"How did you find out, anyway?" he asked her, and I realized that had never crossed my mind.

"I still have friends in Interpol. They've been holding up their end of the bargain quite well. They make me a new identity every few months, give me odd jobs here and there to keep me working, and they feed me information on the kids when they have it. But our children are _good_ , so I often don't have that much to go on."

"Interpol knows that we're here and knows what's going on?"

"They don't know much. They've only seen Allie and Medici together. Once they told me, I knew what must have happened." She sighed deeply. "I'm so sorry that I ever brought Allie into this. She shouldn't be cleaning up my mess."

"I can't say that I disagree with you, but I know that you never intended for it to happen this way."

"No, I didn't. And I'm going to report to Medici and ask him to use me instead."

"No!" Alex said sharply, a strong hint of fear in his voice. "You're the only wild card that we have, Evelyn. Medici knows that _we're_ here, but he doesn't know about you. You might be able to get close enough to Allie to help when all of this goes down."

It was an excellent point… one that I hadn't even considered yet. Allie was lucky to have a man on her side with such a sharp mind.

"How do you propose that I do that, being that Medici cut off your method of communication with her? Besides that, he knows what I look like and he's surely been keeping an eye out for me."

Obviously, Evelyn and Alex were evenly matched when it came to intelligence, because I hadn't come up with that argument, either. I defended myself with the fact that I was supposed to be _spying_ , not coming up with plans.

When Alex spoke again, there was a smile in his voice. "The Evelyn that I knew was a master of disguise. Have you really changed _that much_?"

Evelyn chuckled. "No, I haven't. Okay… I'll gather the supplies that I need and then work on a disguise. I assume that there's someone here that can do my paperwork?"

"We have plenty of people here for that. Just let me know what you need from them."

"Great. I'll let you know."

Common sense told me that they were concluding their conversation. Stealthily, I began to creep away. The last thing that I needed was for my future in-laws to catch me eavesdropping on their private conversation. I couldn't even figure out why I had even wanted to do it in the first place.

Curiosity, perhaps.

Back inside, the house was quiet. It was late, so I figured that everyone had decided to go to bed since no one had been able to come up with any kind of plan. Maybe we would be able to come up with something after some rest.

Upstairs in my room, I headed for the adjoining bathroom only to jump when I realized that Kol was sitting perfectly still and silent on the seat built into the window.

I cursed. "Jesus, Kol. What are you doing? I thought that everyone had gone to bed."

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep." He sighed and leaned back against the window, his head blocking out the light from the moon. "My mom is back."

Understanding hit as I remembered Allie saying that she'd never even told Kol that she'd tracked down her mother years earlier. For Kol, there hadn't been any word since she'd disappeared. That had to be hard.

"Yeah," I said and sat down on the bed, facing him. "You okay?"

"Not really." He wasn't even looking at me as he spoke. He was somewhere far, far away. "She just walked out of our lives like we were nothing and now she thinks she can just waltz back in. I get that she felt like she was being some big hero by getting that box away from Medici, but we needed her, you know? And that didn't matter enough to her."

"I'm not sure that's entirely true…" I didn't know whether or not to tell him about what I had overheard in the gardens.

He looked up at me quizzically. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "I snuck out to the gardens when your parents went out there to talk. I can tell you what I heard if you want me to." I almost wanted him to say no.

But he nodded. "Yes. What happened?"

So, I told him about everything that I had heard. Once I was done, he sat there so quietly that I wondered if he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open.

Just as I was about to ask him if he was okay, he spoke. "In some ways, that makes it better. But in some ways… it just makes it worse. I just don't know what to think anymore. What kind of mother does that to her kids?"

"I honestly don't know." I couldn't see Allie doing that to our child. Or to me, for that matter.

"I've taken up enough of your time." Kol stood and forced a smile. "I'm going to go and try to get some sleep. Thanks for telling me what you heard. You're a good spy."

"Not a spy," I corrected him as he passed me.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile. "Whatever you say. See you in the morning."

"Good night."

He was gone a moment later and I was left to wonder what would happen when Allie found out that her mother had come back and was trying to help us rescue her.

I didn't want to be the one to deliver that piece of news.

Allie

It had taken me so long to fall asleep that I wasn't even certain that I was actually asleep.

That is, until I saw Ari walking beside me, holding my hand.

"This is a dream," I realized aloud.

Ari looked over at me and smiled at me with that incredible flash of white teeth that had always made me feel at ease. "What?" he asked me as if he hadn't heard what I'd said.

"Nothing." It was only a dream, after all, and there was no harm in living in it for a while. It was much more pleasant than my real life was, at the moment. I deserved a little bit of relaxation. Although, I _did_ wonder why I'd been thinking about Ari so much lately.

"Here we are," he said, and we moved away from the crowd before we stopped walking.

I looked around and realized where we were.

The Arc de Triomphe.

"I love it here," I said, but it wasn't actually _me_ that said it. It was dream me.

Ari smiled over at me. "I know. That's why I wanted to show you something."

"There's not a lot about this monument that you can show me," I warned him. "My father used to bring us here all of the time."

"And I bet I know why." Just inside the arc, Ari stopped and pointed to a shadowy corner. "Spies used to leave codes here for each other. It was a drop location."

I nodded. "It's been used for centuries. But no one really uses it anymore."

"And that's why I thought that _we_ could use it." When I looked at him in confusion, he smiled. "This can be _our_ drop location. If you're ever in trouble, just leave me a message here on the wall." He plucked a stone out of his pocket and demonstrated. "Just draw this sign, leave the stone beneath it, and I'll know to look for you."

I was skeptical, to say the least. "You don't live in Paris, Ari. What if I'm in trouble and it takes weeks to find me because you didn't even know that I was in trouble?"

There was a glint in his eye as he smiled, a secret just below the surface. "Just trust me. I'll know. And I'll find you."

I woke with a start, and the memory came flooding back. That's what my dream had been… a memory. That conversation with Ari had actually happened, several years ago. But why was I only just remembering it now? Just because I was in Paris? Or…

"Ari's dead," I whispered to myself. "He can't help."

But as I pulled the covers up around me once more, I had an overwhelming desire to visit the Arc.

 _Okay_ , I finally told myself. _One visit. What could it hurt?_


	47. Coming Together

… **..**

 **Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another chapter! Thank you all so much for sticking with me this far. We're more than halfway to the very end of this story, and I definitely can't let it end without making sure that you know how much I appreciate every read, review, favorite, follow, and private message. You all are the best readers that I could ever ask for. On that note, I've gotten a few anonymous reviews and I just want to say how much I have appreciated them. Keep it up!**

 **Disclaimer: I only use the characters of Hawaii Five-0, not the storyline. Also, all of the OCs are my own creation. I think you get it.**

 **What did you all think of the last episode of the show? I know that there are some people that likely haven't seen it yet, so I won't spoil it, but… While watching it, I'm pretty sure that I said, "are they serious?" about fifty times. You'll just have to watch it to see what I mean. I don't think it'll let you down.**

 **Several people have said that they like me updating twice a week, so I'm going to try my very best to make that happen. No promises, but it's my number one goal right now. You guys are the best, and you deserve the best!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Seventeen: Coming Together_

Steve

"It doesn't have to be the theme for everything in the baby's life for the rest of forever," Kono said, obviously as exasperated with me as I was getting with her. "I just need a theme for the shower."

"We don't even know the gender yet." The digital clock's green numbers told me that it was far too early to be up. Of course, back in Hawaii, it was just past dinnertime. Stupid time zones.

"You don't _have_ to know the gender. I'll come up with a theme for each gender. Or we'll do something gender neutral. I was just wondering if _you_ had any ideas. I'd like it to be a surprise for Allie. What do you think she would like?"

I tried to imagine Allie planning a party and just couldn't. "Probably something simple and low-key. Nothing flashy or over-the-top." Those were almost the exact words that Kol had used when he'd told me what kind of ring he thought Allie would like the most. And he'd been correct.

The sound of Kono's fingers flying over a keyboard made me roll my eyes. She was taking this _way_ too seriously. "Well, then I think that I have the _perfect_ idea," she said, oblivious to my annoyance. "The theme is… ready for it? _Ready to Pop_."

It took me a couple of seconds to absorb that and then a couple more to process it. " _Ready to Pop_?" I asked incredulously. "Seriously?"

"It's adorable!" she defended. "And simple, so I think that Allie would like it. So, of course there are balloons for decoration. And for snacks, there's a popcorn bar and all kinds of different sodas. In glass bottles, so that you can see the different colors. Oh! You can even bring some exotic ones back with you from France!"

I tried to picture it, but I just wasn't that creative. Still, I tried to be grateful. She was, after all, planning a shower for my baby. That meant less work for me and Allie. "That sounds… great. I'm sure Allie will like that."

"You sound less than enthused, but I promise you it's gonna be great." She typed some more. "Any news? I mean, other than Allie's mom showing up and explaining her absence all these years."

Danny had obviously already spread the word. "Uh, no. Because she showed up the night before last. And she was gone all day yesterday gathering supplies or something. Which is good, because I feel like everyone would feel awkward around her."

"Yeah, Danny said that Kol wasn't exactly happy that she's back. What about Max and… what's the other brother's name?"

"Michael," I answered and sat up, all hope of going back to sleep gone. "He hasn't been here much. He's been out with a small crew heading up the search for Trent. So, I can't speak for him, but Max didn't exactly seem thrilled that she was back. She disappeared years ago, so I know that has to be hard. I hope they'll come around, though, because we could definitely use her."

Kono sighed. "That's a rough situation. I hope that everything works out, if only for Allie's sake. Keep us updated, okay?"

"Will do." A wave of gratitude washed over me, and I felt guilty for being so annoyed with her minutes earlier. "And Kono?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"Thanks for everything that you're doing with the baby shower. I really appreciate it, and I know that Allie will, too."

There was a smile in her voice. "You're welcome. I'm really excited for both of you. Hurry home, okay?"

"Will do."

We hung up and then I did a quick cardio routine in my room. In the shower, I tried to come up with a plan for the day. More than likely, I would end up doing whatever Kol was doing. So, I got dressed, shaved, and then headed down the stairs to find him.

But what I found was a fight.

"Kol, you _will_ sit down and eat breakfast with the rest of us like a civilized human being." Edward sat at the head of the table and the look that he was giving Kol left no room for argument.

For most people, anyway. But Kol was not one of them. Plate of food in one hand, glass of orange juice in the other, he addressed his uncle in a voice full of forced calm. "I would rather starve than sit down and eat with her. And that's the gospel truth."

There was no doubt who the _her_ in question was. Evelyn sat beside Alex, staring down at her plate of pancakes. And when Edward opened his mouth to argue back at his nephew, she reached out and touched his arm, giving a small shake of her head. "Don't. Just let him eat in his room."

But that only irked Kol even further. He turned his gaze to her with anger in his eyes. "Don't take up for me. The time to do that was when I was a kid. But you were too busy running off doing God knows what."

"Kol, that's enough!" Alex's eyes showed the same anger that was in his son's. "Your mother-"

"I'd prefer not to think of her that way," Kol cut him off. "She wasn't much of one."

From the look on Evelyn's face, you would have thought that Kol had just informed her that he'd killed everyone that had ever mattered to her.

It felt like an explosion ripped through the house when Alex stood and slammed his hands down on the table, fire in his eyes. "I said _that is ENOUGH_!"

But Kol hadn't had quite enough yet. With a calm that was almost chilling, he placed his plate and glass on the counter and gave his father his full attention. "You know, this probably shouldn't surprise me. She leaves us – _and you_ – to go off and pursue her dreams of _not_ being a mother, and you're left to raise us all by yourself. Which you did, very well. I'd expect you to be angry when she comes back, but all it takes is for her to crook her finger at you and you go jump into bed with her and pretend that nothing ever happened."

It was like watching a train wreck. Or a wildfire that had grown out of control. There was nothing that any of us could do to stop it, and we were well aware of that.

Alex's face was redder than I knew a human face could become. "Get out of here. _Now_."

"Gladly." Kol scooped up his plate and glass and pushed right past me so that he could go up the stairs and into his room.

The silence afterwards was deafening.

And then Max threw some gasoline on the already raging fire. Standing, he sent the scathing remark in his mother's direction. "He's not wrong, you know."

Alex grew red once more and opened his mouth to retort, but Evelyn clamped her hand down on his wrist and shook her head.

Max followed in his younger brother's footsteps.

Roger excused himself from the table and practically sprinted to the office that had become his living quarters.

The two ladies that had been cooking for us all silently crept out of the room.

Edward looked at me with a carefully composed expression. "Steve, there's pancakes, bacon, and eggs. And freshly squeezed orange juice. Help yourself."

I cleared the lump from my throat and headed that way. "Thank you."

No one was eating once I joined them at the table, so I busied myself adding butter, syrup, salt, and pepper to everything that needed it. Then I dug in, starved from my high intensity workout.

Evelyn broke the silence first, which surprised me greatly. "So, you're the man that's going to marry my daughter."

I looked up at her and was once again struck by how similar she and Allie were. It was like I was getting a glimpse of Allie in the future. "Um… yes. We… we don't exactly have a date yet with all of this… mess… But, yes. We'll be getting married once we make it back to Hawaii."

She studied me for a moment and then nodded in what seemed like approval. "Tell me about yourself."

So, I gave her a topline of my life. Born in Hawaii, moved to California when I was sixteen, Naval Academy, Naval Intelligence, SEALs… now Five-0.

By the time that I finished, everyone was eating again, and a lot of the tension had left the room. She asked me a few clarifying questions and then asked me if I was excited to be a father.

For me, that brought the tension right back, but I tried to play it off as best I could. "Definitely. I've wanted kids for a while and I'm really excited to watch Allie be a mother."

That was the wrong thing to say.

The color drained from her cheeks once more and she stared down at her plate so that no one could see the tears in her eyes. Alex and Edward both looked over at her, concerned. And I felt like the world's biggest idiot. Danny had always said that I wasn't the most tactful. Obviously.

"I'm sorry," I was quick to apologize. "That was a stupid thing to say."

She looked up at me and quickly wiped away a single tear that had fallen from her left eye. "No, no. That's not stupid. It was honest, and I appreciate that." She paused, as if considering whether or not to say something, and then she took a breath. "Did Allie ever talk about me?"

Before I could think of what to say, Alex stepped in. "Evelyn, there's no need to worry about that right now. You've had a rough morning…"

She held up a hand to stop him. "I want to know if I'm not going to be getting the happy reunion with my daughter that I've been envisioning for years." Looking back to me, she asked, "So?"

At that point, all that I could do was be honest. "She talked about you, yes. Briefly. And… I'm not going to go into details because she told me all of that in confidence. But… you probably shouldn't be expecting any sort of grand reunion. I'd honestly be surprised if she didn't react similarly to Kol."

Despite the heartbreaking news, Evelyn smiled. "They always were so similar. For obvious reasons. He'd get upset about being given the wrong cup and she'd get upset in tandem. They were fascinating to watch, weren't they, Alex?"

Alex smiled fondly at the memories. "They were, indeed."

"And what do _you_ think of me?"

I choked on the bacon in my mouth and had to gulp down some orange juice to push it down. Once I was finished coughing, I tried to buy myself some time. "Why would you want to know what _I_ think?"

"Because you've been honest thus far. Honest, but not _cruel_. And you're going to be a part of the family soon enough. I might as well know what you think of me before then."

She had some good points.

But that didn't make it any less awkward.

"I…" I pushed my last bite of pancake around in the last bit of syrup. "I can appreciate what you did in getting the box away from Medici. That was a great service to not just your country, but to the _world_. And as a former military man, I can appreciate that. _But_ , as the fiancé to the woman that you hurt, I have a hard time respecting how you went about your _great act of service_."

She nodded slowly. "That makes sense. But I did what I had to do."

"I'm sure that you did. Just remember that when Allie isn't inviting you to the baby's first birthday party. Wounds like that… they don't just heal overnight. You're looking at _years_ , if ever."

"I know."

"Good." I stood and moved for the sink. "But I do plan on asking Kol to at least get along with you. We can really use you to help us get Allie back."

She laughed without humor. "You're very practical."

I finished rinsing off my plate and put it into the dishwasher. "I take that as a compliment."

"Good. I meant it as one."

I nodded at her and then left the room, heading up the stairs. Once outside Kol's room, I knocked sharply.

From inside, he called, "If you're anyone but Steve, go away!"

I opened the door and stepped inside. "You do realize that you're acting like a petulant teenager?"

He sat on his bed, finishing up his pancakes. "Yes. And normally, I would feel terrible and stupid about that. But she _left_ , Steve. She just _left_ us. And now she expects to just walk back in and be hailed like a conquering hero."

I shut the door behind me and made my way over to the chair at the desk. After pulling it around so that I could sit facing him, I sighed. "I don't think that she _expects_ to be hailed like a conquering hero. But she _did_ do the world a great service by getting that box away from Medici."

Kol set his empty plate on the nightstand. "I'm aware of that. But she still could have handled it differently."

"I agree with that. And that's what I told her."

"Good." He sighed. "I assume that you're here to ask me to get along with her."

There was no point in trying to deny it. I nodded. "You know that she's very skilled. And Medici wouldn't expect her to be here. She can be really useful to us."

"And that's the only reason that I'll put up with her." Clearly, the same thought had already crossed his mind. "I know that I acted incredibly immature down there, but it just infuriated me to see her sitting there eating breakfast like she'd never been gone. It felt like she's trying to just step right back into the role of _mom_ , but she's just some imposter, you know? But a super realistic imposter. Hell, I'm not even making any sense."

But he _was_ making sense.

 _Incredible_ sense.

"That's it!"

Kol looked at me like I'd just sprouted a horn. "What's it?"

" _Imposter_ ," I said.

"Yes…" He rolled his eyes. "That's literally what I just said. Do you need me to repeat the rest?"

"No. I'm saying that we need to _make an imposter_. Of the box."

Kol's eyes lit up as he realized what I was really saying. "We need to create a forgery of the box with fake codes inside and somehow slip it to Allie for her to give to Medici. He wants the box, so we give it to him. He'll never know that it's a fake, and he'll release Trent and Allie."

"It'll be tricky to pull a switch like that," I said, nearly bursting with excitement. "But I think that we can pull it off."

Just as Kol was about to say something else, the door burst open and Max and Roger came rushing in, closing the door behind them.

Before Kol could speak, Max held up a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Why can't we knock? Didn't anyone ever teach us any manners? Blah, blah, blah. We think that we've found a way to get Allie inside the museum after hours."

"Do tell," I said, and waved for them to come over to the bed.

Roger set his laptop down and showed us a headline.

 _Kingsley Museum to host private viewing and dinner for art enthusiasts. Tickets starting at twenty-five thousand dollars._

"That's pretty steep for a dinner," I scoffed.

"That's not too bad," Max and Kol said at the exact same time.

"Focus," Roger admonished us. "Allie can get Medici to get her a ticket and she can get inside. That should make it easier for her to slip in and get the box."

"If we're making a forgery, does she even _need_ to get the box?" I asked.

" _What_?" Max and Roger asked at the same time, shocked and surprised.

Kol quickly filled them in on the plan that we'd started working on.

"Brilliant," Max approved.

"Don't sound so surprised," I grumbled.

Roger closed his laptop and headed for the door. "I'll get Seth and the other forgers on it right now." He looked to me. "Can you get as many details about the box as possible from Catherine?"

I nodded. "Consider it done."

He left.

Kol sighed. "Now, all we have to do is get a message to Allie."

Feeling on top of the world, I smiled. "I _think_ I have an idea for that, too."

Max smiled. "We're all ears."

Allie

Medici hadn't wanted to let me go sightseeing in Paris, but I'd told him that it would be nice and relaxing for me, which is what the doctor wanted. It also helped that I had shown him the beginning stages of a plan. Plus, as I'd reminded him, I knew that I was under a deadline and I had no desire to miss it. I just really, _really_ needed a break.

So, I found myself walking towards the Arc de Triomphe, accompanied by one of Medici's men. Ditching him was going to be a problem, but I had a couple of plans worked out.

 _This is so stupid_ , my inner voice admonished me. _You should be working harder on a plan for the heist, not leaving a message for a dead man. Ari. Is. Gone. He can't do anything to help you. This is ridiculous._

And I knew that it was. But there was an unexplainable pull inside of me that was leading me to the Arc. I wanted to see what – if anything – happened.

The landmark was familiar to me, and I almost felt like I was coming home.

Ari and I had visited the Arc frequently, as Paris had been one of our favorite places to meet up. Most lovers preferred the Eiffel Tower or one of the many fountains or gardens, but we liked what the Arc represented. Triumph. Victory. Pride.

I saw an opening when a large group of tourists headed our way, talking loudly and snapping pictures. Ever so slowly, I shifted my position and curled a hand around the stone in my pocket. And when the crowd came upon us, I allowed myself to be separated from Medici's man.

I only had a few moments, so I rushed to the wall and quickly drew the figure eight with one diagonal line through the right side.

Mine and Ari's secret signal if one of us was ever in trouble.

After I dropped the stone, I turned and acted as if I was looking around for the guard.

He found me moments later, face red. "Where did you go?"

" _You're_ the one that's supposed to be watching _me_ ," I told him, rolling my eyes for good measure. "I could have taken the opportunity to run, but I didn't. Medici has a deadline on me and I know that he'd hurt my brother if I tried to do something stupid. Do you really think I would risk it?"

Satisfied, the guard gestured for me to continue walking.

 _Mission accomplished_.

And I felt very pleased by that, until the voice in my head scoffed at me. _Yeah, for all the good it's going to do. Ari is never going to see it, and help is never going to come. You're on your own and you know it._

But I stubbornly clung to my hope.


	48. Older Friends

… **..**

 **Hello, my awesome readers, and welcome back to the story! As always, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following, and private messaging. You all mean the world to me, and I always want to take a little bit of time at the beginning of each chapter to say thank you. Some of you probably skip over it, but it's there nonetheless. As long as you know that you are appreciated, I'm good.**

 **DECEMBER IS HERE! I'm freaking out because winter is my favorite season. It's also my** _ **busiest**_ **season at work, but I promise that I'm going to try my very best to make sure that I'm still getting updates out on time. This story will go into the new year but should conclude by mid-January (ish). And then… who knows?**

 **Also… last night's episode of the show was… um… there aren't words. I'm shocked, baffled, frustrated, angry, sad… and I have to wait until JANUARY to find out what happens afterwards. I HATE when shows take a winter break. I get it… but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. And I** _ **don't**_ **like it, just to be clear. No spoilers, I promise, but… grr. If you've seen it, what did you think of it? No spoilers, please! (But feel free to private message me if you'd like to have a spoiler-filled talk about it.)**

 **I've done a couple of disclaimers lately, so I won't bother again for a bit. I think that you all get the gist of it by now. If not… maybe go back to the first chapter and check it out. Anyway… I hope that you enjoy this newest chapter!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Eighteen: Older Friends_

Steve

I was the one to open the door when they knocked, and I smiled when I caught sight of them. They had duffel bags thrown over their shoulders and looked like they were ready to head into battle.

Just the kind of men that we needed.

"Seth. Lance," I greeted them as I pulled the door open wider and ushered them inside. "Thank you both so much for coming."

"Not much that we wouldn't do for Allie," Seth told me as he turned back to pin me with a serious look. "Just how bad _is_ this thing?"

"Pretty bad." There was no sense in lying to them now that they were in. Anyway, I was almost certain that they'd already looked into him after we'd talked. "From what I've managed to dig up, Medici is a pretty formidable guy when crossed."

"So are we." I hadn't really had a chance to talk to Lance after we'd met back in Hawaii but seeing him there now with his hardened expression and battle-ready eyes, I had no doubt that what he'd just said was one hundred percent true.

I nodded. "Good. Come this way and I'll introduce you to the gang."

"I've always wanted to meet Allie's family," Seth said as he set his duffel bag down. "I met Kol, of course, but I've dreamed of meeting the others for years."

"That's what we're here for," I muttered sarcastically. "To make dreams come true. Ready?"

They nodded, and we passed through the large doorway and into the living room, where Alex, Evelyn, Edward, Kol, and Max were waiting. There was an invisible great divide up the middle, with Kol and Max on one side and everyone else on the other.

Clearly, everyone wasn't getting along perfectly quite yet. Not that I was surprised after what had happened at the breakfast table a couple of days ago, but I'd been hoping that everyone would, at the very least, _pretend_ to get along. No such luck, however, and I knew that I was just going to have to deal with that. I had much bigger fish to fry than their relationship troubles.

I cleared my throat to draw attention, as the two sides were pointedly looking away from each other and whispering. "Everyone, these are friends of Allie's from her days with the CIA. Seth and Lance, meet Allie's family."

"We've met." Kol smiled mischievously, a gleam in his eye as he nodded a greeting to Lance.

Lance smiled back at him, the same glint in his eye. "Your help was greatly appreciated."

Seth's eyes lit up in realization and he frowned. " _That's_ how you pulled off the Monte Carlo job! The bet was for _no help_. Give me my hundred back."

"No way," Lance retorted with a snort. "I think the statute of limitations is up on that." Before Seth could argue further, he stepped forward to shake Max's hand.

Once everyone had officially met, I spoke to Seth and Lance. "As you know, we asked you here to pass a message to Allie." I'd spent nearly their entire flight time messaging them about everything that had happened, so they were up to date on what was going on. "She won't be easy to find, though. We haven't even tried to find her again, for fear of what Medici will do, and he obviously won't allow her to return to the museum until heist time, so we won't be much help."

Alex spoke up. "Roger, our tech guy, has been asked to hold off on trying to locate her just in case Medici has men keeping tabs on that sort of thing."

"Oh, no worries." Seth smiled. "We've already had one of our guys find her. Now, it's just a matter of trailing her to wherever she goes. How do you want us to pass the message?"

Edward spoke up, loathe to be left out of anything. "We have decided to let you plan all of that. We fear that if _we_ plan it, Medici will know that it has our brains behind it. Unfortunately, he knows our family quite well."

"Makes sense." Lance nodded and looked at Seth. "So, we tag-team it?"

"Definitely." Seth sighed and cracked his knuckles. "Just like Rio."

I handed them a piece of paper. "This is the message. I don't know when you'll want to move on it, but it would probably be wise to head to the airport immediately afterwards just in case Medici decides to have someone watch you. We don't want to risk you leading them back to the house, obviously."

"Right. Wouldn't want to lead them back here." Seth nodded. "That was probably our plan, anyway."

Lance nodded agreement. "We'd like to get a few hours of rest, though, if you don't mind."

Kol motioned for them to follow him. "I have you guys all set up in my room and I'll be bunking with Steve until you fly out."

So far, I'd been lucky to be one of the only ones to have a room to themselves, but everyone had to make sacrifices. And this was a small one. I really didn't mind Kol, even if he was acting like a child about his mother coming back into his life.

Once they were gone, Alex pinned me with a very serious look. "Do you think that this will work?"

"The forgery or the message?"

"Both," Edward answered for him.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "It has to. I thought about asking some of my former SEAL buddies to come and help out, but I think that CIA agents are far more equipped for this. And Medici wouldn't know them, so that's a bonus. Really, they're the only option that we have right now."

"And the CIA would definitely know how to do a good brush pass," Evelyn added. "I think it's a good idea. And right now, it's the only chance that we have at getting this message to Allie. We'll just have to go with it."

She had offered to do the brush pass, but no one wanted to take that chance. It was easier to just let Seth and Lance pull it off for us. Plus, I had been able to ask them to get one of the CIA's technical analysts to start helping us locate Trent.

"Nothing to do but wait," Alex sighed, sounding like that was the last thing that he wanted to do.

I was right there with him.

Allie

It had been a few days since I'd left the message at the Arc, with nothing to show for it. Ari hadn't turned up to kill Medici and save me… but had I ever really thought that he would? Maybe a part of me had thought that maybe it was possible, but the bigger part of me knew that I had watched him die.

No one was going to save me.

That was the depressing thought dominating my mind as I walked down the chilly Paris street, sipping my coffee. Behind me trailed one of Medici's men, watching me like a hawk. No chance of escaping, even if I wanted to.

I saw the man only a half second before he crashed into me, so absorbed in whatever was on the screen of his phone that he hadn't bothered to watch where he was going. His phone dropped from his hands and landed screen-down between us, the loud cracking sound leaving no question as to the fate of the phone. My coffee was not any luckier; it spun out of my hand and the lid came off halfway down, sending a splash of dark brown liquid onto the pavement only a second before the cup hit.

I looked up so that I could yell at the man (totally immature, but my patience was at an end), but the words died in my throat as I recognized him.

Lance.

Lance from the CIA.

A million possibilities began to run through my mind. Was he here on a mission? Was he on holiday? Or was it possible that Steve and my family had taken a chance on letting him get word to me? And how was I supposed to let him get word to me with Medici's man already closing in on us?

Giving no indication that he knew who I was, Lance began to apologize in earnest. "I am _so_ sorry, miss! I… I mean, do you speak English?"

When I nodded, he gave a sigh of relief and continued.

"I wasn't watching where I was going. I was checking the basketball scores from back home and… God, I'm so sorry." He bent down and picked up his phone (likely just a burner) and groaned when he saw that it was completely shattered. "Shit. This is all my fault."

"Hey, pal," Medici's man had reached us, and he stepped forward to put himself between me and Lance.

Lance, ever the talented actor, stepped back as if he was intimidated. "Whoa, sorry. Did I do something to _you_ , too? I was just apologizing. I spilled her coffee everywhere. _And_ shattered my _phone_." To really make his point, Lance practically shoved his shattered phone at Medici's man, who swatted it away.

"Look," my guard growled low in his throat. "Just get out of here, okay? You're making a scene."

"I'm not _trying_ to make a scene," Lance went on. "It's just that-"

But my attention was drawn away when I felt an ever so slight brush along my back. As if someone was planting something in my back pocket.

I glanced to the right, following the movement, just in time to see Seth rounding the corner.

Brilliant.

By the time that I could focus again, Lance and Medici's man were done arguing, and my guard motioned for me to continue down the road. I did so, having to use almost every single ounce of self-control that I had to not look behind me at Lance.

They had pulled it off. No one was the wiser that they'd gotten a message to me.

I made a mental note to thank them later.

We made another stop for coffee, and then went back to the hotel, where I retreated to my suite. Once inside, I knew that I had to be patient and couldn't just go rushing off to the bathroom. So, I sat down on the couch and made some heist plans while I finished off my coffee.

Finally, enough time had passed that I knew no one would be suspicious when I went to the bathroom. After I was safely locked away inside, I took the folded note out of my back pocket and smiled when I saw Steve's handwriting.

 _The Kingsley Museum is hosting a dinner for its benefactors this Saturday. Get an invite and take the box then. Roger will be waiting to help you with the security system in case Medici's men can't handle it. Also, we've made a forgery of the box. Your mother will give it to you once you're inside and you can deliver the forgery to Medici._

 _I love you and stay safe._

At the bottom, in handwriting that I was pretty sure belonged to Seth, it said: _Congrats on the baby! Can't wait to meet him/her and babysit! (No diapers, though.)_

After committing the note to memory, I ripped it up into the tiniest pieces that I could manage and flushed it down the toilet.

Then, I allowed myself to freak out.

 _MY MOTHER?!_

Who in the world had called my mother? Or had she just found out? And why was she coming back after all this time? I mean, sure, she was the one that had stolen the box in the first place, but why would she come back just because I was in danger? She'd never cared before.

What was I even going to say to her once I saw her again? There was no way that things could go back to the way that they had been decades before. Surely, she knew that. So, what did she expect from me? And what, exactly, did _I_ expect from _her_? She probably wasn't even the same woman that I remembered from my childhood.

"Oh, well," I whispered to myself after splashing some cold water on my face. "If Steve thinks that she can be trusted, then she can. I'll just have to deal with it."

Once calmed down, I went back out into the living area and kept working on my heist plan.

I had, of course, seen that the museum was having a dinner, but I hadn't wanted to go because I was trying to stall as long as I possibly could. But, if they were going to create a forgery for me to give to Medici, then I wasn't so worried. And, of course, that kind of event was the perfect opportunity for me to break in.

Now, all that I had to do was get Medici on board.

Steve

"Is this a secure line?" Seth asked me when he called a few hours after they'd left the house that morning.

"Of course, it's a secure line. Why would I have called you from this number a few days ago if this wasn't a secure line?"

"Don't take that tone with me," he said sarcastically and then grew serious. "So, the brush pass went well. She has the message."

Relief flooded through me and I gave the thumbs up to Kol, who was sitting on the bed watching me pace. He smiled back at me. "Great. How did she seem?"

"I thought you said she was pregnant?"

"She is." I frowned, suddenly worried. "Why? What's wrong?"

"She doesn't seem to have changed much," he said nonchalantly. "I mean, maybe a little fuller in the face, but I couldn't even tell that she'd gained any weight at all. Isn't she almost halfway there by now?"

"Almost." I sighed, aggravated at the situation. "She had some pretty bad morning sickness at the beginning that made her lose weight and I doubt that all of this stress is helping. Hopefully, it'll all be over soon, and she can gain the weight that she needs to."

"Yeah, hopefully." Seth sighed. "Well, our flight just got called, so we're on our way back. Don't hesitate to call again if you need us. And we'll let you know if we hear anything from our analyst about possible holding locations for Trent."

"I appreciate it. All of it. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you."

"You're making me blush, SEAL." He hung up.

I relayed the conversation to Kol, who looked just as worried about his sister as I was. "She'll get better, though. After you get her back home where she can relax."

"And that's _all_ she's doing," I said firmly. "Kono is planning the baby shower, Allie has already resigned from Five-O, and I can't imagine any other stressors that could come up."

"I'll be there, too," Kol informed me. "Hopefully not to be in the way, but to help. I think Allie will go stir crazy if you just make her stay at home by herself all day. Maybe I can provide some comedic relief."

I smiled at the image. "I don't doubt that."

Suddenly serious, Kol leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. "Hey, listen… since Allie resigned… does that mean that you have a position open on the task force?"

Surprised, but pleased, I smiled. "You want to come back to law enforcement?"

He shrugged. "Possibly. I kind of miss working cases with the BAU. There, I just didn't like all of the red tape. But with you guys…" he laughed. "Well, there _is no_ red tape. I think I'd like it."

"And we'd be lucky to have you. The job is yours, if you want it."

Serious again, he nodded. "I really appreciate it, man. And for what it's worth… my sister couldn't be getting a better man."

I cleared the lump from my throat. "Well, I don't think I could be getting a better brother-in-law."

The emotional moment ended when he very seriously informed me, "You couldn't."

I laughed and punched his arm. "Let's head down for lunch and let the others know that it was a success."

For the first time in a long time, everything seemed to be going our way.

And hopefully, it would all be over very soon.

Allie

"Come in," I said as I waved Medici into the suite. "Do you need anything to drink?"

"No, thank you." He took a seat at the small table, eyes shining with excitement. "You said that you had a plan for the heist?"

"I do, as a matter of fact." So, I sat down directly across from him and filled him in on what I had come up with and what I would need to make it happen.

When I had finished, he nodded. "This sounds like a very good plan. I'm pleased. Is that everything you'll be needing?"

"Yes." My family would supply the rest, but he didn't need to know that. "And I expect that we will hand off at the same time. Trent for the box – that was the deal."

Nicolas smiled – the first true smile I'd seen from him in quite some time – and stood. "Of course. You will have Trent at the same time that I am given the box. I'm extremely pleased with your progress. I knew that you would come up with something. I'll see to the arrangements immediately."

"Thank you." I stood as well and felt a rush of pleasure at the thought that this would all be over soon, and I would never have to see Medici again. "Just one more thing."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"When all of this is over, and you have the box in your hands, you leave me and everyone that I care about alone. For good. No contact, no harm… nothing. I want your word."

He didn't seem at all surprised by my request. "Of course. You have my most sincere promise that once the box is in my hands, it will be as you've said."

"Excellent."

With a nod, he quit the room, his guard following closely behind him. And once I was alone, I exhaled a sigh of relief. Soon, it would all be over.

There was minimal prep work to do now – tedious stuff, really. Memorizing the camera patterns, choosing a dress to wear for the evening that would allow me full range of motion, double checking all possible hiding places and escape routes…. Still important things.

So, I got to work looking over the blueprints and setting contingency plans in place. Nothing was going to go wrong with this heist… I was determined. I was going to pull it off, trade boxes with my mother (who was a problem in and of herself, but one that I would deal with after everything was over), and trade it with Medici to get Trent back.

Then, I'd go back to Hawaii, marry Steve, have our baby, and live happily ever after.

Nothing was going to stop me.


	49. Impossible

… **..**

 **I know, I know. "Wow, two updates in two days?! That's awesome!" It's really not, though, because I just waited so long to edit that I really had no option but to put them up so close together. I become the world's worst procrastinator during the month of December. Hopefully (fingers crossed) this doesn't become a habit for me, because I think a lot of you are really enjoying this new "post twice a week" schedule. Also, to remind everybody: I consider a week to be Monday through Sunday, the same as my work schedule.**

 **Thank you all for continuing to read and – as always – thank you to those that have reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. I so adore each and every one of you more than you can know. Seriously.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Nineteen: Impossible_

Steve

"Are you sure you want me to go back to my room?" Kol asked me as he finished packing up the small duffel bag that he'd brought to my room while we'd shared. "I can stay."

"I like my space, and I know that you do, too." Allie's brother wasn't a bad roommate, but roommates were for military camp or college. And those days were long gone for me.

He zipped his bag with a dramatic flair and turned to face me. "But we're about to be _brothers_. _Twins_ , even."

I held back a laugh. "I don't think that's how it works."

He faked a thoughtful expression. "Is it not?"

"No. Not at all."

Before he could come up with some other bit of nonsense, there was a knock at the door.

"Don't tell me you already invited someone else to stay with you," Kol teased me. "I haven't even _left_ yet!"

I rolled my eyes and called out, "Come in!" I expected it to be Max or Roger or even Alex.

But I had _not_ been expecting Allie's mother to be the one to walk through the door.

Nor had Kol, apparently, for his expression fell from joviality to barely suppressed anger in the matter of half a second.

Evelyn saw her son's expression and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I, uh, I wanted to talk to Steve and I thought you had already moved back into your room. That's what they were saying at the breakfast table. Um…"

 _Most awkward silence I've ever been a part of,_ I thought and looked to Kol, curious as to how he would respond.

In one fluid motion, he picked up his duffel bag and threw it over his shoulder. His next words were very clearly to me and not to his mother. "I'll see you for lunch. Thanks for bunking with me."

"Yeah, no problem."

He nodded and then walked right past his mother without so much as a glance, slamming the door shut behind him much like an angsty teenager.

Again, there was an awkward silence.

I broke it, not willing to let it fester. "You said that you wanted to talk to me?"

"I did." She wrung her hands nervously. "Um, is here okay, or… would you like to go take a walk?"

"I'm fine in here." I just couldn't imagine what she would have to talk to me about. I gestured to the chair in front of the desk. "Please, sit."

"Okay. Thank you." As she walked towards the seat, I took her in and saw Allie in everything from the shape of her face to the graceful way in which she moved. But there were differences, too… her dark hair had some gray sprinkled in at the roots, there were subtle aging lines on her face, and she dressed very plainly.

Once she was seated and comfortable, she looked at me and sighed. "I wanted to talk to you about Allie."

"What about her?" I gave up trying to figure out why she was here. It would surely come up soon enough.

"I want to make amends. With all of my children, of course, but I'd like to start with Allie."

When there wasn't more, I nodded slowly and tried to think of how to be as diplomatic as I could. Allie wasn't too fond of her, but she was still her mother. That demanded respect on my part. "That's great, but I think that's something that you should talk to _Allie_ about."

"I intend to," she informed me. "But I wanted to start with you."

"I… I don't know why you'd want that."

She sat back in the chair and sighed. "I want to start with Allie because I think that she would be more likely to forgive me than any of her brothers."

I wasn't so sure about that, but I didn't say it out loud. "That might be a safe bet."

"I'm sure that you've heard by now that Michael won't even come back here since he's heard that I arrived. I know that he's _saying_ that he wants to stay out there with his team, looking for Trent, but I know that he just wants to avoid me. Kol can't even be in the same room with me for more than five minutes. He won't even _look_ at me, for God's sake. And Max…" She sighed and seemed lost in her own head. "Max and I weren't ever as close as the others. He's always kept people at a distance. So, in a way, he seems like he doesn't care as much as the others. But at the same time, he's always been the last to apologize and the last to forgive. He doesn't trust easily and, when you break that trust, he's not likely to forgive any easier."

"That's… a pretty accurate description of the situation." At least she didn't have any kind of misconceptions.

"The only one that I _haven't_ seen is Allie, for obvious reasons. What do you think her reaction will be?"

Taken aback by the question, I shrugged. "I… I honestly don't know. In the note that was passed to her, I told her that you would be a part of the plan, so she knows that you're here. She'll have time to process that before she ever sees you. That might help, but…"

When my pause lengthened, she encouraged me to go on. "I want to be as prepared as possible."

"She found you once before," I reminded her and, when she nodded, I went on. "She told me about it. She also told me that she never told anyone else, not even Kol, because she wanted them to remember you as you were back then. A loving mother. She said that she wished she'd never gone to find you. So, if you want to know how I _think_ she'll react… not well."

Tears gathered in Evelyn's eyes, but she blinked them back as she nodded. "I can't say that I'm surprised. I never wanted her to find me, you know. I never wanted _any_ of them to find me. But I wasn't surprised that, out of all of them, it was Allie that did. She's always been so… incredible. Resourceful, intelligent, driven…" She smiled fondly at the memory. "I missed so much, and I hated that, but I knew that they would all be okay."

"They are," I assured her. "I speak mostly for Allie and Kol, but they've all turned out to be incredible. But I don't think that any of them are going to be able to look past the way that you did things. To expect that… even if it's just a tiny part of you that expects that… it's unrealistic and, honestly, kind of stupid. I lost my own mom when I was young, and it tore me apart. So, I know what they're going through to an extent. _But_ … _you_ left. _You_ had a choice. And you chose to walk away."

"Because-"

I cut her off. "To everyone _but_ your family, your reasons may matter. But not to them. They don't care why you left or how many lives you potentially saved. You left them."

Tears came again and this time, she had to wipe them away. "You don't pull punches."

"No."

"I can respect that." She sniffed. "What do _you_ think of me?"

"I've already told you what I think. It hasn't changed. What you did was great, but the way that you went about it… I just can't condone that. Not when I'm about to be a parent myself." I had, of course, tried to imagine being in her situation – being one of the only choices to get a dangerous weapon away from a criminal that could use it to damage the world. Would I leave my own child to do it? I doubted it. I would reach out for help and figure it out.

This time, she didn't even bother trying to stop the tears that made a slow trail down her cheeks. "That, perhaps, is the worst part. My baby girl is about to get married and have a baby of her own and I won't get to see it. At least, not up close, like it should be." She paused for a moment to grab a tissue off of the desk and dab at her eyes. "I suppose a silly part of me was hoping that you would intercede on my behalf."

"That's not my style." I sighed. "If Allie is going to have a relationship with you, then it needs to be on _her_ terms. Not yours, not mine, nor anyone else's. Maybe she'll come around. Maybe she never will. But it's not something that you can control. And, if I may offer you a small piece of advice, your best bet is to leave it alone. With Allie _and_ your other children. The more you push, the angrier they'll get."

"I think I'm starting to see that with Kol," she agreed and nodded. "I'll back off and stay as far back as I can."

I nodded. "I think that's a good strategy. For what it's worth, though, I really appreciate that you're willing to help with Allie. And I know that Kol and Max and Michael are appreciative, too, but they're never going to tell you that to your face. So, I'm telling you for them."

She forced a smile. "Thank you. I would do anything for my daughter. For _any_ of my children."

With nothing to say to that, I asked her, "Was that it?"

"It was." She stood. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. You've been very kind, all things considered."

"I like to think that's how I was raised."

"Or the military training." She headed for the door. "I'll keep your words in mind."

"Good."

With a small wave, she let herself out and closed the door behind her.

"Well, that was… _odd_ ," I muttered to myself.

I didn't have any other plans for the day, so I was considering going for a run on the treadmill in the garage, but my phone rang before I had the opportunity to actually do it.

"Danny," I muttered as I moved for the nightstand, where my phone was on the charger. Danny had been calling me nearly every single day to check for updates or see if there was anything that he could do.

But it wasn't Danny's name that popped up on the display.

"Seth," I answered, heart pounding. Seth and I weren't close enough for him to just call to catch up. Besides, he'd only left a day ago. That meant that he had to have news. "What's up?"

"Steve," he greeted, and I could pick up chatter in the background. "You have some time to talk?"

I wasn't sure if he was teasing or not. "All the time in the world." 

"Good, because I don't have long. I took a smoke break to get away."

Confused, I said, "I didn't realize that you smoked." I'd never seen him with a cigarette, nor had I ever smelled it on him.

"I don't." He coughed. "These things are disgusting. Listen, our tech guy thinks that he found something on a location for Trent."

My heart started pounding as adrenaline rushed through my bloodstream. Lunging for my notebook and a pen, I said, "Great. Give me everything you've got."

"It's not much," he warned me, "but it sounded like more than you guys had managed to get so far." He paused. "Is this a secure line?"

I opened the notebook up to a fresh page and clicked the pen. "Yes. Our tech guy secured all of our phones right after we got here, and he continues to do so at least once a week." Roger was _very_ thorough.

"Excellent, because Amos didn't exactly get this information… _legally_."

Of course not. "Understood."

"Good. He did something with some satellite… He tried to explain it to me, but I got lost every time. Somehow, he backtracked the footage of some camera somewhere and has it narrowed down to a five-mile radius. I know that's still a lot of area to cover…"

I cut him off. "But it's better than nothing, which is exactly what we had." My pen was at the ready. "Do you have the coordinates for the center of the radius?"

"Yes." He rattled them off. "I asked him how sure he was, and he said over ninety-nine percent. I trust this guy with my life, and Allie's too. They're friends, and I know that she would tell you the same thing. I'm about to head out on an op, but I can send Lance your way if you want someone to start checking it out."

"No," I said, "one of Allie's brothers is out right now with a small team doing exactly that. I'll give him a call and let him get started."

"Great." He cursed. "Break's over. Keep me updated."

"Will do."

He hung up and I excitedly ripped the page out of the notebook and dialed Michael's number. He answered on the last ring. "Yes?"

His brusque manner didn't even bother me anymore. Besides, I was excited about the news. "Allie's friends at the CIA have a radius. Five miles, but better than nothing."

"Definitely." His voice warmed only slightly. "Do you have the coordinates?"

I gave them to him and he repeated them back to me to make sure that he had them down correctly.

"We'll get started on this right away," he said. "Tell the others."

And I rushed down the stairs to do exactly that.

Allie

" _This is a_ terrible _idea," Ari informed me._

" _You've said that," I sighed. "Five times."_

" _Make it six, because this is a_ terrible _idea." He darted in front of me as I was about to open the door. "You can't just get in a car with them and let them take you away. They'll drive you to a forest, shoot you, and bury you where no one will ever find you."_

" _You're being ridiculous. I've been working this op for a while now. They trust me. They want to bring me up to the next level."_

" _You haven't been working this op for_ nearly _long enough to actually be_ that _high on their list. I smell a trap."_

 _I rolled my eyes at him. "You're coming with me. I don't know why you're so worried when you'll be there the whole time."_

" _Because I want to protect you." There was fire in his eyes. "I always want to be there to protect you. But someday, I won't be able to."_

 _A chill raced along my spine at his words. "That's morbid."_

 _He cupped my face in his hands, expression serious. "It's true. I can't always be there for you, Allie. And it_ kills _me." Stepping back, he raked a hand through his dark hair, mussing it. "Let's run away."_

 _Feeling like I hadn't heard him correctly, I asked, "What?"_

 _He walked past me, wired. "Let's run," he repeated. "I'll get out of Mossad, you'll get out of the agency, and we'll just… go."_

 _My heart was racing, but I couldn't put a finger on why. There was something desperate in his plan that both scared and excited me. But running away… "Go_ where _?"_

 _Turning back to me, he smiled. "Anywhere. Name a place and we'll go."_

" _This isn't like you. You're a planner, Ari. You'd never just_ run away _without a plan in place. What's going on?"_

" _I just want out." He sighed and stepped closer once more, lowering his voice. "Don't you want out? You haven't been the same since your last op."_

 _I shuddered at the memory._

" _Allie?" he prompted when I didn't answer him._

 _Exasperated, I sighed. "Yes, okay? Yes, sometimes I want out. But I'm not just going to pack a bag and run away."_

" _Not even with me?"_

 _The question was heavy, stealing all of the air from the room. It was like time stood still as he waited for me to answer. Hell,_ I _was waiting for my answer._

" _You're scared," I finally said, which wasn't an answer at all. "For some reason, you think that this op is going to go wrong, and you want to get me out by any means necessary. But I'm telling you that everything is going to be fine. And, after all of this is over, we can go on a vacation somewhere. Malaysia, maybe? Or Switzerland?"_

 _He grabbed my hands. "Okay. But on one condition."_

 _I raised an eyebrow, waiting._

" _You marry me once we get there."_

 _Once again, his words stole all of the breath from my chest. Ari and I had never discussed marriage before because we both knew that it was unlikely. At least… not while we were with our respective agencies. But if Ari was serious about wanting out, then maybe I could get on board. There were plenty of other agencies that could use my skills._

" _You want to get married?" I clarified._

" _Of course I do." He smiled. "Don't you?"_

" _I…" But there was no need for a pause. Of course I did. I loved Ari more than anything. He was the other half of me that I'd never known that I was missing, and I would have done anything in the world for him. Including walking away from the CIA and the best job I'd ever had. "Yes. I do."_

" _Great. Then it's settled." He walked past me and to the front door, which he opened with a dramatic flair that was so unlike him that I had to laugh. "As soon as today is over, we'll go."_

 _I exited the apartment and smiled. "Malaysia or Switzerland?"_

" _Switzerland, I think." He smiled back. "Better language, better food."_

" _And we can go get some of those pastries that you love."_

 _An hour later, I thought that I was going to die. Ari had been right all along, and the leader of the terrorist cell was intent on killing me. They'd taken Ari off to a different area of the warehouses, and I knew that he wouldn't get there in time._

 _But then he was there, fighting with a fury that belonged in hell. His movements were fluid, his aim sure as he took out man after man, shouting at me to get myself out._

 _And I tried, but I got lost. Ari found me, and we ran together, but the maze seemed endless, as if there was no way out._

 _There was one man left – the leader of the cell – and Ari raised his gun to shoot._

 _But he paused when the man pulled the pin on a grenade and sent it flying towards us._

 _I saw it and froze, certain that it was all over. All of the plans that we'd made only an hour earlier were never going to come to fruition. We would never get married, never have kids, never grow old together._

 _I wasn't ready to die. There was so much that I loved about life, and I wasn't ready to lose it._

 _Distracted as I was by these morbid thoughts, I didn't see Ari dive until it was too late. He'd pulled the trigger on the way down, killing the last of the men. But he landed right on top of the grenade. It wasn't until much later that I realized that he'd done it on purpose._

 _The grenade blast was muted by his body…_

I awoke with a start, a scream dying in my throat. I hadn't dreamt about Ari's death in a very long time, but the familiar sensation of loss hadn't changed.

The nightmare had woken me… or so I thought… right up until I saw the figure standing at the end of my bed.

I thought that it was Medici or one of his men, and I was ready to tell them off for startling me.

Until I saw the familiar face. The strong jaw covered with just the right amount of stubble, prominent nose, and dark eyes that had seen it all.

His name left my lips in a breath. "Ari."


	50. The Contingency Plan

… **..**

 **I got several reviews and private messages about last chapter's cliffhanger. I know, I'm so mean! Haha I'm sorry, but what's a good story without a little drama? Or a lot of drama… Please don't hate me.**

 **Thank you for coming back to another chapter. I appreciate each and every one of you that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. You keep the story alive, and I am so grateful. I have this story written through to the end, so now all that I have to do is edit and post! If the reviews are still coming in pretty quickly, I may start posting more frequently (hint, hint). I used to do that back in part one and the response was great.**

 **Also, in regards to the response being great… some of you have sent me private messages (and there have also been reviews) asking to hear more about Ari and Allie's past because you love hearing about it. I'm happy to say that I will oblige you in this chapter by giving you a very early snippet. Enjoy.**

 **I hope that you enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty: The Contingency Plan_

Allie

Time stood still.

Ari stood at the foot of my bed, barely illuminated in the light of the full moon. But it was him… it wasn't a ghost or just my imagination. He was as real as the bed that I was sitting on.

"Ari," I breathed, almost afraid that speaking would somehow make him disappear, even though I'd already established that he was very real.

"Um… Do you mind if I turn on the light?" There was something off about his voice, but it was very real. I nodded, and he moved to the wall and flipped the switch. I blinked against the sudden assault on my eyes and very slowly, realized what was going on.

He had the same bone structure as Ari. They could have been twins. But… he didn't have the incredibly small scar on his left temple. He was maybe one and a half inches shorter. He wore a vest, whereas Ari had always said that vests were for the extremely intelligent or the extremely fashion inept.

It wasn't Ari.

"Imran," I realized before Ari's brother could say anything.

The corners of his mouth pulled up in a small smile. "Ari mentioned me to you."

"Several times," I nodded. "You went into Mossad about five years after your brother. I don't know much more than that, actually."

"Well, he talked about _you_ a lot." Suddenly seeming abashed, he took a step back and gestured towards the door. "Do you maybe want to go into the living area? Being here in your bedroom feels a little… I don't know. Disrespectful, I suppose."

At his reminder, I jumped up in a panic. "You can't be here! Medici has cameras…" But the words died in my throat at the calm in his eyes, so much like Ari's that it made my heart ache.

He took the chance to speak. "I've been watching you for a while. I already knew about the cameras. I know a guy… I had him put the cameras on a loop."

Impressed, I smiled. "Wow. He must be pretty good."

With a snort, he headed for the door and gestured for me to follow him. "Don't ever call him just _pretty good_ to his face, but yes. He is extremely talented. Mossad wouldn't be the same without him. He can't make it last forever, though. We probably have about twenty minutes."

I sat down on the couch and watched him sit in the armchair directly across from me. He even _moved_ like Ari. "I don't know if that's enough time to have all of my questions answered."

"Let me start from the beginning." At my nod, he continued. "Several years ago, right before he died, Ari contacted me. He said that Mossad and the CIA were working on an op together, and he felt like it was going south. He told me that if anything happened to him, he wanted me to watch out for you."

A dying wish. To take care of me, even after he was gone. _I always want to be there to protect you…_ I blinked away tears. "Obviously, something _did_ happen to him."

With sadness in his eyes, Imran said, "Yes. It did." When I looked away, he leaned a bit closer and spoke with a tenderness that surprised me. "Allie."

Still holding back tears, I looked up at him. "Yes?"

Very seriously, he said, "Ari died exactly the way that he would have wanted to. Doing a job that he loved, protecting the woman that he loved. I know that he wouldn't want you to feel terribly about it."

"But I do. I always will. You don't know the whole story."

"I read your debriefing report. But, if there's more that you want to tell me…" Sighing, he looked down at his watch. "We'd better not get into all of that now. We don't have the time. But when all of this is over, I'd like to grab coffee and talk about him, if you think you can."

"That would be nice." And I meant it.

He smiled. "Good. So…" He clasped his hands between his knees. "How can I help?"

So, I proceeded to tell him about Medici coming to Hawaii, stealing me away, kidnapping Trent, and forcing me to come up with a plan to steal the box from the Kingsley Museum. I also told him what the box really contained, and about the plan to replace it with a forgery to make sure that Medici would never have a chance to use the codes.

When I had finished, he leaned back in his chair and scrubbed a hand down his face. "I don't know exactly _what_ I was expecting, but it was certainly not _this_." He sighed. "So, what do you need from _me_?"

"I don't know," I answered him honestly. "Ari told me that if I was ever in trouble, I should leave that sign. I kept having dreams about it, so I just did it. And now, here you are. But I don't know exactly what you can do. Getting me away from here won't do any good, because he would just hurt Trent. And we have people looking for Trent, but… obviously, there hasn't been much success."

"So much stress can't be good for a growing baby."

Surprised, I looked over at him. "How can you tell? I'm not even showing." I looked down at my stomach, but there was only the barest hint of anything there – well-hidden beneath my T-shirt. The nurse that saw me before Dr. Dubois always told me that I didn't even look pregnant and she was waiting for me to show at least a little bit.

"You're a former CIA agent and now, you're a member of a government task force." Before I could ask the question, he answered it, "I've kept up with you over the years. Anyway, to be a part of any task force, you have to be in pretty good shape. And the rest of you is in _excellent_ shape, but your stomach is – and I mean absolutely _no_ offense – a little looser than the rest of you."

A smile tugged at my lips. "You remind me a lot of your brother, you know. I hope that's okay to say. And I don't just mean in appearance, either. He…" I swallowed the small lump in my throat. "He always noticed things that others didn't. It was like he was honed in to things in a way that the rest of us weren't."

Imran smiled as well. "I remember. He was certainly the best at what he did. I miss him." Sadness washed over him and he hung his head and let out a shuddering breath. "I really would like to get together and talk about him with you, after all of this is over. You knew him – _really_ knew him – better than anyone."

"It's a deal."

"For now…" Imran looked at his watch as he stood. "I only have a few more minutes to get out of here." From the pocket of his jeans, he withdrew a small phone. "It's a burner. Nothing fancy. My number is already programmed in. I would try not to use it except in an emergency, though. Medici will be on his guard after the last time."

That meant no calling Steve, which stung, but I knew that Imran was right. "Got it. Thank you."

"I'll call you as soon as I have a plan." He headed for the door. "Anything else that you need before I head out?"

"Not that I can think of." I followed him to the door. "Thank you so much for coming."

He smiled and, for only a moment, I allowed myself to pretend that it was Ari. "No problem. I'll be in touch."

In less than a second, he had left and swiftly closed the door behind him. That didn't leave me much time, so I rushed back into the bedroom and slipped back into bed before the cameras could come back on.

The rest of the night was spent pretending to sleep when, in reality, I was far too excited about the things to come to get any sleep.

Somehow, I must have fallen asleep, though. I woke up the next morning, dazed. I hadn't had a single dream – good or bad – and I actually felt refreshed for the first time in a while. Imran's visit had given me new hope. Sure, I still couldn't talk to Steve and my brother was in the clutches of an Italian psychopath, but at least I had an ace up my sleeve.

As I swung out of bed and went to get ready for the day, I thought about everything Ari had ever told me about his younger brother – the only sibling that he had. Most of the talk about him had happened one night after I'd told him about my mother, and then about my father and my brothers. I stared at my reflection in the mirror as the memory washed over me.

" _Do you have any siblings?" I asked him and swirled the last of the wine around in my glass. Ari had gotten to drink the night before, so now it was my turn. One of us had to be alert at all times, just in case someone in the cartel somehow figured out where we had disappeared to and came after us._

" _One," he answered without looking at me. Not looking at me seemed to be one of his favorite activities, right alongside sharpening his knife and doing tai chi in the mornings._

 _When he didn't offer any further information, I poured myself the last of the wine and said, "Do you care to expand on that? Brother? Sister? Twin? I have a twin, you know."_

" _Yes. You've said that." Completely unaffected by the small amount of sarcasm in my voice, he continued to clean his gun._

" _What could it possibly hurt for you to tell me that you have a brother or a sister? It's not like I know their name. Or even_ your _last name, for that matter. Anyway, I've just told you all of mine."_

" _Yes, you're quite the open book."_

 _The way that he said it implied that he didn't think that was a very good thing. "I don't mind being somewhat open with the guy that saved my life a week ago and that I'm now stuck in this safe house with for the foreseeable future. I thought it would be less torturous if we got to know one another a little better. You can never have too many friends, right?"_

" _I don't really have any friends_."

 _It was the first real piece of information that he'd given me aside from his name, and I pounced on it eagerly. "Why not?"_

 _He shrugged. "I was with special forces right out of college. Lost touch with all of my college friends during that stint. A lot of my very close friends in special forces wound up dead, so I just decided to stop making them."_

 _I felt an immense sadness at his nonchalant confession. "I'm sorry."_

 _For the first time in a while, he looked at me._ Really _looked at me. With eyes that had seen more than I could dream of. "For what?"_

 _Slightly taken aback by the question, I searched for the right words. "For your suffering."_

" _But I'm not suffering. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional."_

 _Despite the sadness in the atmosphere, I rolled my eyes. "Thank you, Seung Sahn. I didn't say that you were suffering_ now _. But you did at one time. And I'm sorry that you had to go through that."_

 _His eyebrows shot up in surprise, which felt like a small victory to me because I had thought that nothing could ever take this hardened assassin by surprise. "You know Seung Sahn?"_

"The Whole World Is a Single Flower _is one of my favorite works ever. Do_ you _know him_?"

" _I do." I almost could have sworn that the corners of his mouth pulled up in an actual smile. "I also enjoyed that book."_

 _For a moment I just sat there, frozen. Then, slowly, I felt a smile break out on my own face. "Do we actually have something in common?"_

 _He rolled his eyes and shifted slightly to face me better. "I'm sure that we have more than_ that _in common."_

" _Like the fact that we both have siblings," I pointed out. "I have four brothers. And you?"_

 _There was only the smallest of pauses before he answered me, "I also have a brother. Imran."_

" _Imran." Nodding slowly, I asked, "What does he do?"_

 _Something in his expression hardened, but he answered my question. "He actually followed in my footsteps. He just joined Mossad a few months ago."_

" _As an assassin?"_

 _Ari nodded. "He's still in training, and he will be for the better part of a year. Then, he'll be stationed wherever they choose."_

" _I guess it's similar to the CIA's assassin program, then," I said thoughtfully. "They have assassins stationed in major cities throughout the world."_

" _Similar," he agreed. "The assassin route wasn't for you?"_

" _I'm surprised that it's for anyone," I said, and hoped that he would sense that there was no judgment in my voice. "Killing someone… that must be hard."_

 _Raising an eyebrow, he asked me, "You've never had to kill anyone in your time with the agency?"_

" _No. That's what assassins are for. I'm more of a… of an_ information collector _. That's more my specialty."_

" _A field agent, then. That's what I assumed, but I wasn't sure."_

" _Why did you come for me, anyway?" I asked him._

" _Because my handler asked me to. I owed him a favor. And from what I understand,_ he _owed_ your _handler a favor. And now_ you _owe your handler a favor."_

" _And you," I pointed out with a smile. "I owe you a favor for saving me. And for holing up here with me. I'd go out of my mind if I had to be here all alone." I raised my empty wineglass to him. "And drunk."_

 _A full smile broke out on his face and I thought that it just might have been the most beautiful thing that I'd seen since coming to Colombia. He was a very handsome man, with the kind of face and body that women all around the world dreamed about._

 _But it was more than his physical appearance that made him attractive. He was intelligent, and very confident in who he was. He was obviously brave, and he had a desire to serve his country. He'd seen terrible things and was still living well. There was a lot about him to appreciate._

" _Well, I'd hate the thought of you being here drunk and alone."_

" _But I'm not. Because I have you to keep me company."_

 _He said nothing, but looked at me with those dark, depthless eyes that seemed to be looking at all of the parts of me that no one else had ever discovered._

 _To keep my face from flaming, I said, "So, tell me about your brother. Are you two close?"_

" _Probably not as close as you are with your brothers," he said, seemingly unaffected by the things I'd just felt. "But we're always there for each other. I didn't want him to join Mossad, but he said that he wanted to be like me. He always has. And I know that he'll do well, but that doesn't mean that I won't worry about him."_

" _Of course not." Laughing, I said, "I still worry about Kol all the time and he's not being ordered to go out and kill dangerous people. You always worry about the people that you love."_

" _Yeah… I guess you do."_

 _The wine was making me hear hidden emotions that didn't even exist in his words. Deciding that I needed to leave before I said something stupid, I set the empty wineglass aside and moved to stand. But when he began to speak again, I stayed._

" _He's never been nearly as good as me with hand to hand. Probably due to my special forces training. He was a police officer for a while and didn't see the kind of action that I did. But he's been practicing. Where he really excels is at the covert stuff. Brush passes, blending in, going undercover… I know he'll be fine, but that doesn't mean that I'll ever stop checking in on him."_

" _It shouldn't."_

 _He gave me a small smile. "Thanks for listening."_

" _Thanks for talking. I honestly didn't know if you knew more than twenty words."_

 _He laughed, which was far more surprising than his smile. "It takes me a while to get used to people. And even longer to trust them enough to open up. But there's something about you that makes me think that we could be good friends. What do you think?"_

This connection that I feel makes me think I'd like to be more than just friends. _I shook the inappropriate thought out of my head. Ari and I were from entirely different spy agencies, which meant that a relationship between us was not only forbidden, but also dangerous. "We can definitely be friends. I've been told that I'm a pretty good one."_

" _I'm sure you are." Sighing, he rose to his feet. "I'm going to double check the alarms and then go to bed. Are you headed that way?"_

" _Definitely." With the amount of wine that I'd had (and the knowledge that a very skilled assassin would be there to protect me), I knew that I would sleep soundly._

 _He paused in the doorway to give me one last smile. "Okay. Good night, then. See you in the morning."_

" _Good night," I responded, and then watched him head off down the hall and towards the small control room._

 _Once I was certain that he was out of sight, I let out a long, slow breath. "I'm going to have to really watch myself with this guy_."

Back in the present, makeup on and hair pulled up into a messy bun, I smiled at my reflection as the memory faded away. Only a week after that, Ari and I had shared our very first kiss. The rest, as they say, is history.

It was all so incredible, I thought. I'd all but forgotten about the signal that Ari and I had come up with so long ago, and then I had a dream that reminded me. Before he'd died, Ari had informed his brother of the signal, just in case anything ever happened to him. Now, Ari's brother was going to help me just like Ari had helped me all of those years ago.

If I believed in that kind of thing, I would have thought that Ari's spirit was the one that had set that all in motion. It was, honestly, the explanation that made the most sense.

"Just in case," I murmured to the emptiness, "I want to say thank you."

No one could hear me, of course, so I got dressed and went about the rest of my day. It involved shopping for a ball gown to wear to the Kingsley on the night of the heist, which was the last thing that I wanted to do. Finding one to fit my subtly growing body was not a fun task.

But, it did get me one step closer to the completion of the heist.

Which would get me one step closer to getting the box.

Which would get me one step closer to freeing Trent.

And then, finally, I would go home to marry Steve and have our baby.

And _that_ made every second of torture worth it.


	51. It's A

… **..**

 **Wow, people. I am blown away by the response that I got on the last chapter. It gave me the push that I needed to get to editing (which I am so close to being completely done with). If you guys can keep that up, then I'll post THREE chapters every week instead of two. (Sure, that means that the story will end "sooner", but we all know that it has to end** _ **sometime**_ **, right?) Let me know after this chapter if that's something you'd be interested in. I'm thinking… if I get eight reviews on each chapter, then I'll go ahead and post the next one. Up to three a week, anyway. That would still give this story a couple of weeks.**

 **Disclaimer (because I haven't done one in a while): I only use the characters from Hawaii Five-O, and I completely disregard the timeline of the show. All of the OCs are of my own creation. I think you all get it by now, but just a reminder.**

 **As always… thank you so much to each and every one of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. I appreciate you all so very, very much. You are the reason that I continue to write.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-One: It's A…_

Allie

As soon as I opened my eyes, my entire body felt wired, as if I had somehow consumed ten cans of Red Bull while I slept. I had been dreaming about it for the last few days and I was beyond ready.

Ready to find out the gender of my baby.

As I showered, I thought about all of the "midwives' tales" that I'd read about. Like craving sweets meant that you're having a girl, whereas craving salty or sour meant a boy. A fast heartbeat meant a girl and a slow heartbeat meant a boy. Of course, there wasn't actually a scientific basis for these claims, but some people online absolutely swore by them.

So… I'd wasted the entire evening before going through some to see if I could predict the gender.

Morning sickness? YES. Which meant girl.

Heartburn? Only a little. Which meant boy.

Headaches? Yes (though who knew if that was from pregnancy or Medici). Which meant boy.

Sleep on… My right side. Which meant girl.

Baby's heartbeat was just over 140. Which meant girl.

Craving salty or sweet? Both, really. So, that one didn't help at all.

Happy or moody? Moody, but it was hard to be happy when you were being forced to work on a heist.

Skin soft or dry? Dry. Definitely dry. Which meant boy.

Chinese calendar said girl.

Mayan calendar said boy.

All in all, it was a toss-up. And none of those things had even been proven to be one hundred percent effective at predicting the gender. But, a lot of people online had said that they just had a "feeling" that their baby was going to be a boy or a girl. A lot of them had been right, and they chalked it up to "maternal instinct". Mine must have been broken, though, because I didn't feel anything that pointed me one way or another.

I was just going to have to wait until the ultrasound technician told me.

I fumbled with my clothes as I got dressed because of all of the nervous energy in my body. I was so excited to find out the gender of my baby, of course, but… there was a little something on the side that I had to worry about as well.

One of Medici's men – Alexi, I thought his name was – waited for me just outside of my suite, his face like stone. I greeted him, but he said nothing as he began to lead the way down the hall. Even that couldn't dampen my mood, though. Sure, the heist was tomorrow and mine and Trent's lives would be at stake, but I had decided to set that aside for now and just focus on the appointment. There would be plenty of time to worry later.

The ride to the doctor's office seemed to take forever, as did the walk inside, even though we'd gotten a parking space pretty close to the entrance. Finally, I was checking in and then finding a seat to wait for the ultrasound tech to call me back. Alexi grabbed some men's magazine and began to flip through the pages much too quickly to actually be reading the articles. I knew that he was busy keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, and that made me just a touch nervous.

"Allie?" A woman that I hadn't seen before stood at the entrance to the office, smiling at me. She was young – even younger than me, I thought – with blonde hair pulled up in a tight bun. She wore pink scrubs that put the finishing touch on her "full of sunshine" appearance.

I stood and made my way over to the ultrasound tech, glad that I hadn't had to wait long but also nervous about what was to come.

I needn't have worried, though.

As we made it to the end of the hall (heading for the door with the 'ultrasound room' sign above it), Imran came towards us, dressed in blue scrubs and looking harried. He spoke to the tech in a rush, flashing an apologetic, albeit charming, smile. "Sorry, sorry. Do you know where Dr. Dubois is? I was sent over from the hospital to collect some of his personal notes on a patient and they sent me back here, but… I got a little turned around."

Miss Sunshine smiled kindly at him and pointed down the hall to the left. "Just follow that all the way to the end, curve to the left, and it's the first door on your right."

He looked relieved. "Thank you, thank you so much." And as he moved to pass us, he bumped into me. "Oh, sorry. I'm sorry!" He caught me around the waist and made sure that I was steady on my feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I assured him.

"Great. Sorry again." He flashed us one more smile and then disappeared down the hall.

The tech opened the door, none the wiser, and gestured for me to precede her inside. "Right in here."

I entered the room and, once the door was closed, felt in my back pocket.

The phone was there.

As she moved for the rolling stool beside the ultrasound machine, I said, "I was wondering if it was okay if I video called the baby's father? He had to work today and couldn't make it."

Sympathy flashed in her eyes. "Oh, of course! I don't mind at all."

"Great." I typed Steve's number and then made the call.

Several rings later (and just when I had started to think that he wouldn't answer me at all), he answered. His expression was wary, but when he saw me, his face lit up. "Allie! How did you-"

I cut him off before he could say anything suspicious in front of the tech. "Hey, honey! I'm here at the doctor's office for my ultrasound. She said it was totally fine to video chat with you so that you could watch, since you couldn't leave work. Are you available?"

"Yes!" he said eagerly, and I could see him sitting down on the bed in his room. _My_ room, if I recalled correctly. "Uh, go ahead and get started, I guess."

I sat down on the padded chair/exam table and lifted my shirt up so that the tech could put a towel in the waistband of my jeans to protect them from the gel. As she did, I spoke to Steve. "I'll have the phone facing the screen so that you can see everything." And also, so that the tech couldn't see that he was actually in bed and not in an office.

"And I'll explain everything out loud," the tech added.

"Sounds great."

I turned the phone toward the screen, and the tech began. She started with the head, where she said that everything in the brain looked normal. We got to see the face for a few moments, and she assured us that she was printing out pictures as she went so that we could remember it forever.

Then, she moved down to the heart. We got to hear the heartbeat, which came in at one hundred and sixty-five beats per minute. There was a lot to check there, apparently, because she spent about five to ten minutes there checking everything out and measuring. My own heart was hammering the whole time, because I was so anxious to find out the gender of the baby. I knew that Steve was, as well, and I was amazed that he hadn't told her to hurry up yet. Then again… this was the first time that he was seeing his baby in real time. Previously, he'd only seen the picture I'd given him. That was a great reminder for me to be patient and let him enjoy it.

"Okay," the tech said as she finished up the last measurement for the heart. "Are you guys wanting to know the gender, or-"

"Yes," Steve and I said at the same time, effectively cutting off her question.

She laughed. "Well, okay, then. Let's find out that gender. Do either of you have any guesses, before I tell you?"

"I'm gonna guess that it's a girl," Steve said.

I thought for a few moments. "Boy," I decided.

"Okay," the tech said and moved the wand over my stomach. "Let's see who's right."

I involuntarily held my breath, and I knew that Steve was doing the same.

It was the moment we'd both been waiting a while for.

"It's a boy," the tech announced.

I felt like I wanted to cry.

"A boy?" Steve repeated. "We… we have a son?"

"A son," the tech confirmed with a smile as she moved on to do the rest of the exam. "Do you guys have any big gender reveal plans? I know that's kind of the thing now."

"No plans," I said. "But… I think it would be fun to tell everyone together."

"Yeah," Steve agreed with me. "We'll tell them once we get everyone together." _Once this heist is over with and Medici is rotting in jail_.

The rest of the exam flew by, and once it was done, the tech told me that I could go into the small bathroom off to the side to finish wiping off the gel. I thanked her and locked myself in the small bathroom.

Steve was smiling at me when I turned the phone around. "A boy, huh?"

"A boy." I smiled. "We'll have to start thinking about names."

"Just so you know, I'd really like it if I could keep 'Steven' running in my family. Maybe as the middle name?"

"I like that," I agreed.

Expression more serious, he asked me, "How did you pull this off, by the way?"

"Trade secret." I winked at him. "You won't be able to call or text me on this phone again, though. I have to get rid of it. Medici's men search me after every doctor's visit now."

Steve's face reddened in anger. "This all can't be over soon enough."

"Tomorrow." Sighing, I smiled sadly at him. "I have to go."

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Okay. Stay safe. I love you. Both of you."

"We love you, too." It was so hard to end the call and toss the phone in the trash, but I knew that it was what had to be done.

Steve and I would be together again soon enough.

Alexi checked me once we got to the car, but of course, he didn't find anything on me. Once he was satisfied, we hopped in the car and headed back to the hotel. And though the circumstances were very serious, I couldn't stop the smile that broke out across my face.

In May, Steve and I were going to have a baby boy.

A perfect baby boy.

The following morning, I woke up in a bit of a daze. I'd slept well and had wonderful dreams, so the fact that it was heist day hit me like a bolt of lightning, stealing my breath away. I had been waiting for what felt like forever (even though it had only been weeks), and I all at once felt so ready and not ready at all.

But, ready or not…

I climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to wash my face and start my morning skincare routine. Medici had – at my request – hired people to come and do my hair, makeup, and nails. I needed to look just like a member of the high society so as to blend in, so he'd been happy to splurge for me.

And… a little pampering never hurt anyone.

The dinner didn't start until five, but I needed to be there early for cocktails ( _mock_ tails, for me) and to mingle. The more the guests liked me, the less suspicious they would find me. And I could be _very_ charming when I wanted or needed to be. And this time, it was both.

Once I'd finished in the bathroom, I went out into the kitchen and found that Medici had ordered my favorites from the bakery around the corner. They sat waiting for me on the small table along with a handwritten note.

 _Good luck today. I have every faith in you._

I rolled my eyes, tossed the note into the nearby trashcan, and sat down to eat my breakfast. Whether or not anyone believed in me, I was going to get this done. And then go home to get married and have my first baby.

 _Eyes on the prize, Allie… eyes on the prize_.

Nothing – _nothing_ – was going to get in my way.

Steve

I really didn't want to answer my phone, but I knew that all Danny wanted was an update. Sighing, I pushed the talk button and pressed the phone to my ear, going back to the task at hand with my free arm. "Hey, Danny."

"Hey, Steve," he returned. "Chin and Kono are here with me. You're on speaker."

"We just wanted to wish you luck today," Kono chipped in. "Is everything ready for the heist?"

"I think so. We have our people still out looking for Trent, but it's looking like we're out of luck and Allie will just have to go through with it. But I think we're ready." I finished cleaning my gun and cocked it. Smiled at the smoothness of the motion. "Definitely ready."

Chin laughed as Danny exclaimed, "Did you just cock a _gun_? What are you planning to do, Punisher, _shoot_ your way into the museum and demand that they give you the box?"

I rolled my eyes, but our familiar banter helped to relax me. "Maybe. Got a problem with that?"

"I do, actually. I'd prefer that you come _back_ to Hawaii and head up this task force like you're _supposed_ to do. You can't very well do that while sitting in a French prison, can you?"

"I don't know, maybe." I slid the gun into its place on my belt, hidden by the unbuttoned navy shirt that I wore over a relaxed gray tee. Allie was going to have to dress up to go to the fancy party, but I didn't need to wear a tux to sit in the car as emergency backup. Thank goodness for that; I'd rather wear full SEAL gear than a tuxedo any day of the week.

"When will you be coming home after all of this is over?" Chin asked me, likely because Danny had opened his mouth to argue some more. Danny never knew when to give it up.

Oddly enough, I hadn't thought a lot about our timeline once Allie and Trent were away from Medici. Part of me hadn't wanted to so that my hopes wouldn't be crushed if something went wrong. But, now that we were so close to the end of this thing… I dared to dream. "Hopefully after a few days. Or, maybe Allie will want out of Paris as soon as possible. Either way, it'll be up to her."

"Make sure to have her call us as soon as she's up to it," Kono said. "And are you sure you don't want us to get an emergency flight out?"

"Best not to," I said, though I wanted them there with me more than almost anything. "Now that it's time for the heist, Medici will be keeping a closer than ever eye on everything. If he finds out that you're in Paris… it's just not worth the risk."

"Copy," Chin told me. "But send us a text as soon as Allie is safe. And then have her call when she's up to it, like Kono said. We can't wait to hear her voice again. We miss her."

"And you, I guess," Danny added. "So, if you could both come back in one piece, that would be… well… that would be great, I guess."

Fighting a smile, I said, "Yeah, I'm sure it would. I'll let you guys know as soon as I know anything, okay? Day or night. Promise."

"Good." Kono was the first to bid farewell. "Good luck today, boss."

"Yeah," Chin agreed. "We'll talk to you later."

"We'll be waiting to hear." Danny was the last one to speak. "So, don't keep us waiting."

"I'll try not to."

"Well…" He sighed. "Good luck."

"Thanks." I hung up the phone and set it on the counter before staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I'd let a bit of a shadow grow along my jaw and up into my sideburns, but I'd tried to make sure that it was neat. There were slight dark circles beneath my eyes, hinting at the torture I had experienced in being kept away from Allie all this time. But in my eyes… I saw the same determination that I'd seen there before each of my SEAL missions.

I was not going to let Allie and our baby down.

Satisfied that I was prepped, I went back out into my room and decided to clean up a bit since, in a matter of hours rather than days, Allie would be joining me there. I wanted everything to be perfect for our reunion, and that included a clean room.

Minutes later, room cleaned, I headed down the stairs to join the others in the living room, which had become sort of the command post. Computers were set up to display information on the TVs that hung on the walls, and they'd gotten very crafty with the seating arrangements.

People were already milling about and calling out to each other, since we were close to time to go.

"Steve!" Kol waved me over to the center of the room where he stood with a man that I could have sworn I'd seen before.

Recognizing the confusion on my face, the tall man with dark curly hair reached out to shake my hand. "Jason Stark. We never officially met, but I helped out with Allie's first case with your task force."

"The art forger," I realized.

He nodded. "One and the same. What do you think?" He gestured to the coffee table, where his newest masterpiece shined proudly.

I knelt down to examine it and laughed in wonder. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that this is the real box. How long did it take you to do this?"

"It was a rush order," he teased Kol. "Stayed up for almost forty-eight hours straight to get it done."

"Don't lie." Kol rolled his eyes and nudged Jason. "You took naps while it was baking."

"I _did_ take a few naps," Jason admitted.

"I don't care how many naps you took." I straightened and reached out to shake his hand one more time. "I just want to say thank you for pulling this off for us. If I can ever do anything to repay you, just say the word."

He held up a hand and shook his head. "Thanks, but not necessary. Allie pulled my chestnuts out of the fire more times than I can even count. Doing this doesn't account for even _half_ of the favors that I owe her."

Kol snickered. "You've got that right. Remember that one time in Morocco? Allie had to-"

But Kol was cut off when Edward called out to everyone from the doorway that led into the entryway. "May I please have everyone's attention?"

All talking ceased immediately and everyone turned to face him. I felt my heart pounding as I looked at my watch and realized that it was go time. I had been waiting for this for far too long.

Edward glanced around the room and, once certain that he had everyone's full attention, nodded very seriously.

"It is time."


	52. Showtime

… **..**

 **In advance, I would like to apologize for the late update (haven't I told you before that I hate making promises because something always seems to get in the way?)! My holiday weekend started with a trip to the ER with my baby, who had contracted RSV that was quickly turning into pneumonia. Oh, but wait… there's more… I also had two emergencies pop up with other members of my family. Luckily, all of that concluded by Christmas and I was able to celebrate at home with my family. How did you all enjoy your holidays?**

 **Well, welcome back to another chapter! I appreciate you all sticking with me so far. As always, an extra big thank you to those of you that have favorited, followed, reviewed, and private messaged me. You truly keep me going when I'm not sure that I can continue. That's why I'm rewarding your loyalty. From now until the end (barring any sudden emergencies and with a reasonable amount of time to be expected), I'll be posting the next chapter of the story as soon as the latest one reaches eight reviews. (And as an apology for my late update, I guarantee that there will be three updates this week – and I've already edited all of them, so they won't be put off.)**

 **The New Year is coming up, and I'm super excited. Who doesn't love a good party to celebrate life, right? What are you all going to be doing to celebrate? I love to hear how everyone else enjoys the holidays, so please feel free to share via review or private message!**

 **I also have something exciting coming up for a vote soon (as in, probably the next chapter), so make sure that you're not skipping these messages at the beginning of the chapter!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Two: Showtime_

Allie

Hands still on my shoulders, steadying me, the French cosmetologist spoke with a heavy accent, breath tickling my ear. "You may open your eyes now."

Nervous, I inhaled once and then let my eyes flutter open.

What I saw left me breathless.

The gown that I was wearing was Adrianna Papell – a gold, sequined gown with a scooped back that showed off my slender shoulders. The fabric was non-stretch and body-skimming through my hips, but it hid my pregnancy very well; _I_ couldn't even tell that I was expecting a baby. The semi-sheer short sleeves and pooled train gave it an added sense of elegance, as did the strappy gold heels that I'd paired with it.

But the gown wasn't really the impressive part.

My dark hair had been curled and then loosely pulled back into an elegant updo, with a few loose, curled tendrils framing my face. As for my face… my makeup was flawless. Even though I knew for a fact that my skin had been blotchy (thank you, pregnancy), it now appeared perfectly smooth and without blemish. She'd kept my eyeshadow light, paired with a thin line of black eyeliner and false lashes that really seemed to make my blue eyes pop. My lips sported a pinky nude that really seemed to pull it all together.

"Well?" she asked me, and I realized that I'd been silent for a very long time, just staring.

I smiled at her reflection in the mirror as I continued to take myself in. "It's perfect. You're amazing."

Smiling at my praise, she stepped away and began to gather up her bags. "I left a list of all of the products that I used, just in case you want to buy them for yourself. It's on the coffee table in the living room."

As I came to my senses, I said, "Oh, wait. I need to tip you."

She waved the comment away. "Mr. Medici has already done that. He was quite generous; paid the same amount for the tip as the session cost." Winking at me, she added, "You got a good one."

The thought of being connected to Medici _like that_ made me want to vomit, but I composed myself and forced a smile. "Well, I'm glad that it's all been taken care of. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. You look positively radiant." With one last smile, she disappeared through my bedroom door. Moments later, I heard her leaving through the front door, and I was alone again. For… I glanced at the clock… ten more minutes.

I so badly wanted a glass of wine to calm my nerves just a bit, but I settled for some ginger ale. It had helped (in tandem with the Diclegis) my morning sickness incredibly, but it turned out to not be quite so effective with nerves. In the end, I settled with listening to "Here Comes the Sun" a couple of times. It had worked back in my bomb squad days, and it worked then, too.

All too soon, Medici himself was at my door, smiling and excited. Of course he was excited; he would get his box and he wouldn't have to risk life in prison to do it. I couldn't wait to wipe that smug smile right off of his face.

 _Soon. Patience_.

"You look incredible, passerotta. Shall we?" He offered me his arm.

I wanted to slap it away, but my manners kicked in and suddenly, he was escorting me down the hallway.

"I won't be coming with you, sadly," he told me once we were inside the elevator. He gestured to the man that had accompanied him. "Hans will be your chauffer and drop you off at the museum. Everyone else is in place to do as you asked. I've made certain that they know the plan forwards and backwards."

"Excellent." Plus, I would have _my_ people for backup. The only part I was really worried about was my own.

"It'll all be over soon," Medici said and we stepped off of the elevator, heading for the doors. "I know that your family will be excited to see you."

"I'm sure they will." I gave him a pointed look. "And I'm excited to see Trent."

Catching my drift, he nodded. "That's all been arranged. We will meet at the location, exchange Trent for the box, and we'll both go our separate ways."

 _None too soon_. I thanked him when he pulled open my limo door and helped me inside.

"Good luck," he grinned.

I forced a smile back at him.

The drive to the museum was both far too quick and incredibly long. We had to wait in line for Hans to drop me off at the steps, and I spent that time staring out the window, taking it all in. There was a large banner welcoming the generous patrons, clouds of balloons, lights so bright that they hurt to look at for too long… The Kingsley Museum had really gone all out for this fundraising thing.

"We're next," Hans said as we paused so that the car in front of us could unload. "Are you all set to go?"

In my stomach, the butterflies began anew and my baby boy kicked, almost as if to say, _I'm here, too, Mom. We can do this._ I felt courage despite the fear. "I'm ready."

In a matter of moments, we were pulling up and then Hans stopped. My door opened, and a hand reached inside to help me out of the limo. Blinded by the lights and the flashing of cameras, I took it and stepped out, plastering a charming smile and expression. No one knew who I was – and I intended to keep that mystery alive – but that didn't mean that I couldn't be charming and still win a few hearts.

Reporters were shouting questions at me in a combination of French and English and, though I spoke both languages fluently, I did not respond. Instead, I kept up the air of mystery that would aid me in my heist. Once inside, I was away from the reporters, and I took the opportunity to catch my breath.

Satisfied that I was calm again, I took the opportunity to look around. The help desk was gone and, in its place was a large table decorated with the finest china. Men in tuxedos and women in ball gowns milled about, chatting and laughing. Most of them probably knew each other; people with money tended to run in the same circles.

Off to the side, the double doors to the ballroom that was normally closed off were open and music was drifting from inside. It sounded like a quartet, and of course, they were phenomenal. Undoubtedly, there would be plenty of dancing. That would be an excellent chance to slip away unnoticed, of which I made a mental note.

"I don't think I've seen you around before," said a lilting tenor voice in flowing French. "And I'm certain I would remember a face like yours."

Pasting that same charming smile on my face, I turned to face him. He was about as tall as Steve, but not nearly as muscular. His hair was black and slightly curly, definitely in need of a trim sometime soon. His face was nothing spectacular – neither incredibly handsome nor ugly. The tuxedo that he wore probably cost about as much as a year's worth of my salary with the Five-O task force; it looked to be specially tailored for him, as it fit him extraordinarily well.

"I'm not from France," I replied in fluent French.

His dark eyes widened in surprise. "For someone that claims to not be from France, your French is surprisingly good. Where did you learn it?"

The last thing that I wanted to be doing was talking to this guy, but I needed to blend in. Best to not make a scene by standing alone, and he was as good an excuse as any. "My father is French." Best to stick as close to the truth as possible, so as to keep the lies straight.

"Ah, that would explain your exceptional facial features." He smiled charmingly at me.

At least… it _would_ have been charming for anyone but me. Also, my facial features looked exactly like my mother, who was British. "Thank you. I don't believe you told me your name."

"Gregor Herre. I'm an investment banker here in Paris." He named the bank with pride in his voice.

I made my eyes widen as if I were incredibly impressed. I really wasn't a big fan of bankers, but he could possibly be a good alibi later. "Wow. You must be very intelligent to work in such a prestigious position at such a young age."

Very proud that I had put those pieces together, he began to boast about how his father – also an investment banker – had put him through college at Oxford. I listened only enough to keep up with the general conversation; my eyes were scanning the area and the people, on high alert just in case.

"But enough about me," he finally said once there'd been _far too much_ about him. "What is it that you do?"

"I'm… an art collector, of sorts. I collect it for my clients, really, but I'm also building up my _own_ collection."

"How nice," he said, but his expression didn't match his words. Clearly, he was ready to hear more about himself. I was proven correct only moments later, when he launched into a tale of the time that his family had flown to Switzerland to collect a priceless painting. He was so proud of it that I didn't have the heart to tell him that it likely wasn't real, as my uncle had stolen that exact painting twenty years ago.

I was saved when the museum curator called everyone to the table for dinner. My place was nowhere near Gregor's, so I said a polite farewell and took my seat next to a woman with fiery spiral hair. She was with a man that had to be twice her age, but when he introduced himself, I recognized him as a notable surgeon. Made of money.

Right before the dinner started, the man that I'd been waiting for slipped into the empty chair on my other side. He was dressed in a tux that fit him so well, you would have thought that it had been made just for him. His dark hair had been subtly styled, and his beard had been neatly trimmed. He looked more like a handsome millionaire bachelor than an agent working for Mossad.

"Nice to see you," I murmured and tried to keep my smile mild. "I wasn't sure you would show up."

With a smile that was so similar to Ari's that it made my heart ache, he whispered, "I'll always show up."

"Well, put your game face on, because from what I've experienced of the guests so far, it's going to be a dull night."

"Up here, anyway." He winked at me and then gave his attention to the curator, who was sitting at the head of the table and calling everyone to attention.

He spoke about the museum for a minute, and then thanked everyone for their donation and talked about how it would be used. I was constantly tuning out, wondering instead about the menu. Medici had made the reservation and donation, obviously, so I had no idea what food would be served. I just hoped that it wasn't seafood, as I hadn't tolerated that at all during this pregnancy.

Luckily, it was not seafood. First, we were served a delicious salad with some kind of lemon dressing. Health food had never really been my thing, but I'd been trying to eat healthier since becoming pregnant, so I ate it happily. Next came the main course, and it was absolutely delicious. Grilled chicken in some kind of fancy sauce, along with vegetables that had been perfectly roasted.

Imran and I did not talk much during the meal. We had agreed beforehand that we would make it seem as though we'd only just met. Less suspicious that way. So, I amused myself with eating and people watching. I'd always been amused by the way that the upper class lived. The conversations were about money and country clubs and old wine. The looks were ridiculous and coveted. The personalities could be varied, but they were generally pretty similar – petty and ridiculous.

I found myself enjoying it immensely by the time that desert – a delightful chocolate mousse – was served. Unfortunately, I was starting to get very full and a full stomach was not a heist's friend.

"Oh, come on," Imran whispered as I started to push the mousse away. "You're eating for two, remember?"

As if on cue, my son kicked and began to move around. I smiled as I discreetly put a hand over my stomach. "That's no excuse to gain a hundred pounds."

Imran scoffed and reached over to push the bowl of mousse back in front of me. "You haven't even gained _one_. No one could tell that you're in your second trimester of pregnancy. Eat."

I narrowed my eyes at him, but did as he'd asked. "Have you been talking to Steve? That's just the kind of overprotective thing he would say."

"No. You said that you wanted to keep me as a wild card, remember?" He winked at me and then dug into his own desert. "Dinner is almost over. You ready for this?"

Adrenaline began to race through my veins and I took a deep breath to steady myself. "Mostly. But I still wish that I didn't have to do this."

He gave me a sad smile. "You and me both."

We purposefully ignored each other throughout the rest of the meal, and went our separate ways as the curator called for us all to join him in the ballroom for some dancing to "get rid of some of those calories". The quartet was playing a beautiful waltz, and there were some couples that immediately raced to the dance floor to show off their gowns and their dancing skills (which had likely been paid for in the form of lessons from expensive instructors).

Gregor asked me to dance and I, seeing no alternative, agreed. He was actually a very good dancer, but I grew incredibly bored when he began to talk about how he had already advanced so far in his company, even at such a young age. Truly, the man did not know how to talk about anything but himself.

We went through two dances and, just as I was about to pass out from boredom, Imran stepped in with a charming smile. "Excuse me. We were sitting beside each other at dinner and she was so kind as to offer me a dance. I thought I'd come to collect."

Gregor opened his mouth, and I could tell that he was going to object. Before he could, I rushed in with a smile, taking Imran's offered hand. "That sounds lovely. Let's go."

Out on the dance floor, Imran pulled me into position and smiled teasingly at me. "He seemed like a real charmer."

I kept the smile on my face but gave a subtle roll of my eyes. "He _could_ be, if he knew how to talk about anything other than himself. Guy's a narcissist to the extreme."

"Well, one can't have it all, I suppose." The song began and Imran easily began to move me through the steps. Mossad (much like the CIA) trained its operatives to blend in anywhere – which meant dancing lessons that had clearly paid off.

"Ari once told me that dancing lessons were his least favorite part of training," I said, surprising myself. "And the etiquette classes."

"That doesn't surprise me." Imran's expression was full of reminiscence. "He liked to go, go, go. He signed up for martial arts at a young age and was at the gym as often as they would let him be. Anything active, he was involved in. Guy didn't know how to sit still."

"No, he didn't." I smiled, remembering. "Getting him to sit down and watch a movie all the way through was impossible. He was always getting up to get snacks, getting a refill of his drink, going to the bathroom… was he really never diagnosed with ADHD?"

Imran laughed as he twirled me out and then back in. "Surprisingly, no. Never staying still for long was just one of those quirky things about him."

We twirled by a clock and when I saw the time, my adrenaline spiked again. "It's almost time to go."

Imran glanced at the clock and then gave me an encouraging smile. "Dance is almost over and then you can slip away. Did you get the card yet?"

"Not yet," I sighed, "but I have my eye on one of the guards. Four o clock. By the door."

After getting eyes on him, Imran nodded. "He seems less experienced than the others."

"He's relatively new." The song ended and Imran and I both clapped politely for the quartet.

"Thank you for the dance," Imran said and leaned in to kiss my cheek. As he did so, he slipped a small cell phone into my hand. I knew that an earpiece would be attached to the back of it. "And good luck," he whispered into my ear as he pulled away and gave me a nod. "I'll keep an eye on things here."

Feeling bolstered knowing that he had my back, I nodded. "See you soon, I hope."

He melted back into the crowd and I turned, heading straight for the guard that I'd pointed out to him earlier. Adopting a slightly tipsy walk, I stumbled into the guard and laughed as he had to steady me.

"So sorry!" I told him, careful to keep my voice down so as not to draw unnecessary attention. "I'm just looking for the bathroom. I think that I had a _little_ too much wine. Splashing some water on my face usually helps."

He kept his composure rather well. "Straight down that hall there and to the left. You can't miss it. Do you need some help?"

I smiled at him. "No, thanks. I've been going to the bathroom by myself since I was four. Thank you, though!" And then I sauntered off to the bathroom… but not the one that he had pointed out. Instead, I went to the one further down the winding hall.

Once inside, I verified that I was alone and took out the earpiece from the phone that Imran had given me. I put it into my ear, turned it on, and then made the call.

"Allie?" Steve asked when he answered on the first ring.

"Steve." I smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. "Is everyone ready?" A glance at the clock on the wall told me that it was minutes away from being time.

"Roger is already locked into their system. We're here and ready to go."

I caught my reflection in the mirror and gave myself a grim, determined smile. "Then let's do this."


	53. Who I Was

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! This one is going up today (obviously) and the next one will be going up tomorrow. I find myself almost reluctant to post each chapter because that means that we're getting closer and closer to the end and I don't ever want it to end! Some of you have expressed feeling the same way, and that means a lot to me.**

 **I told you all that I'd have something up for a vote this chapter, so here it is… I have already been working on the plots for several other stories, and since all of you have been** _ **so incredibly amazing**_ **, I wanted to give you the opportunity to choose which one you read first. Here are your options:**

 **1\. Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**

 **2\. Kaya Romano belongs to an ancient society of assassins – The Silent Death. Her father, the leader of the assassins, asks her to go to Hawaii to oversee the group that is stationed there. When she meets Steve McGarrett, she tries her hardest not to fall for him, knowing that it would never work between them. And when she is tasked with killing the man that could be her redemption, can she break centuries worth of tradition to protect him? Or will she succumb and take her place as the new leader of The Silent Death?**

 **3\. Steve McGarrett finally feels settled in, having solved the mysteries that his father left behind. But he's quickly unsettled once more when there's a knock on his door late at night and the visitor is covered in bruises and stitches.**

 **Cora Grant knew that there was only one place where she would feel completely protected from her abusive husband. But would Steve McGarrett take her in? Would he take a stance against a man that he had served beside? She would just have to take the chance.**

 **So… you can leave your vote in the form of a review or a PM (or both). You can vote after each chapter up until chapter twenty-seven (which will give you five chapters to vote). Yes, you can vote as many times as you want, so if there's one that you're really crazy about, make sure that you're voting on it. As I said, I already have outlines for all of these stories, so I'm pretty confident in each of them.**

 **As always, thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following, and private messaging. And a special thanks to all of you that expressed concern for my baby. He's doing a lot better – still has a terrible cough, but he's in a much better place than he was even a few days ago.**

 **Don't forget to vote!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Three: Who I Was_

Steve

"How we doing in there, Allie?" Kol spoke into the microphone. His leg was bouncing up and down, signaling his agitation. There were no cameras in the bathroom (for very good and very obvious reasons), and he was anxious that he couldn't keep an eye on her.

"Trying to change, Kol," Allie replied, voice a bit muffled (likely from fabric being pressed over her mouth). "Do you think that, for this one time in your life, you could just wait for a minute?"

"Right, sorry." But he didn't look sorry at all. He still looked incredibly anxious. I would have felt bad for him if I didn't feel so very anxious myself.

Finally, Allie sighed and something was zipped up. "It's a little big on me."

"Sorry," her father told her, snatching the microphone from a very offended Kol. "We thought you'd be a little bigger. You know… pregnancy and all."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or offended." Allie sighed and then there was the sound of something being pushed underwater. "Okay. I'm ready to go. What about on your end?"

"Just a minute," Roger said and brought up a different feed. On the screen, someone dressed in a caterer's outfit was pushing a janitor's cart down a deserted hallway. "We're right on track. It should only be about thirty seconds."

"Copy," Allie responded. She didn't sound nervous at all. She sounded… focused. Ready. And I felt incredibly proud of her.

"Five…" Roger began to count as he simultaneously watched both screens. "Four… Three… Two… One…"

Allie came out of the bathroom just as the caterer came around the corner with the cart. So smoothly that we might not have even noticed if we hadn't been watching for it, the caterer gave the cart a shove and Allie deftly stepped behind it and took over pushing as the caterer stepped into the women's bathroom.

Edward gave a small whistle under his breath. "She's still got it."

"Of course she does." Alex sounded offended.

"You have to admit, Alex, that it's been more than a few years since Allie's last heist."

"She helped me with a small one in Egypt a couple of years ago," Kol tossed out there.

"Really?" Edward and Alex said in unison, surprised.

"Can we focus?" I asked, and pointed to the screen that Allie was presently on, pushing the cart steadily, looking for all the world like a janitor and not like a woman that was about to attempt to steal something incredibly valuable out of the archives of the world's most secure museum.

The uniform that she wore had been handmade by a couple of the ladies, and they'd done an amazing job. It was exactly the right color, the museum's insignia was in the correct place, and the size was pretty accurate even if Allie thought that it was a little too big. Allie had hidden her hair underneath her hat, which had been pulled as low as possible over her face. The only thing that we hadn't been able to fake was the badge that all of the janitors had, but Allie had lifted a badge from one of the guards and would have already copied it onto one with her picture on it. And hopefully, the "caterer" would be on her way to return the real badge to that same guard.

"Yes, guys, can we focus?" Allie asked in a half-teasing, half-serious voice. "Your microphone is still on, by the way."

Edward and Alex sheepishly apologized as Allie came to the first of four doors that she would have to get through before she came to the archives. We all held our breath as Allie took out her card and swiped it through the pad. After a second's delay, the light flashed green and she pushed through the door without incident.

There was a collective sigh of relief in the van.

"Microphone is still on, people." Allie murmured. "Can you all try to relax and have just a _little_ bit of faith in me, please?"

"Sorry," Edward apologized and turned the microphone to mute.

"Should have done _that_ a bit ago," Kol muttered, which earned him a smack upside the head from his uncle.

Allie had memorized the museum's floor plan quite a bit ago, and she moved down the halls with ease. She knew exactly where she was going, and she was determined to get there, yet she moved at a pace that said that she had all the time in the world. Medici's men had the cameras feeding what Roger had called a "freeze frame" (which meant that they had frozen all of the critical cameras so that they couldn't see anything but an empty museum), but Allie still didn't have as much time as she wanted, unfortunately. Roger had told us that the Kingsley's system searched for viruses (like someone hacked in) every six minutes. So, every six minutes, the freeze frame would end until they could get it back, which would take about thirty seconds each time.

Knowing that stressed me out, but if Allie was stressed, I couldn't tell at all.

"Time will be ending soon," Roger announced and pulled up a timer on a smaller screen off to the side. It said that Allie had a minute and six seconds until the freeze frame ended.

Kol hit the button on the microphone. "Allie, the freeze frame will end in one minute."

"Fifty-eight seconds," Allie replied and flicked her wrist, revealing the watch that she was wearing. "This is how I'm communicating with Medici's men. Smart watch."

Edward sighed as though he was disgusted. "Technology has changed too much for us. Where is the fun in using a smart watch? Where's the challenge?"

"If you don't think that this is a challenge, then get your ass in here and do this yourself," Allie retorted, which effectively shut Edward up and had Kol laughing.

"Thirty," I warned, but Allie didn't pick up her pace at all. "Allie…"

"I know," she responded soothingly, but she still didn't move.

I leaned closer, on edge. "Allie, damnit, get out of the way. Hide behind a freaking statue, if you have to, or-"

She cut me off with a smile in her voice. "I have a better idea."

"There's only ten seconds," her father said, and the tension in the van was palpable.

"Not my first heist, guys," Allie said. "Chill out."

"Allie," her father warned, and his tone was definitely that of a father. "Five seconds."

She sighed dramatically. "So little faith." And just when I was about to yell at her, she veered off to the side, swiped her card, and slipped into a janitor's closet that we hadn't realized was there.

"Time," Roger said. "Medici's men pulled out just before the sweep."

"She made it." Kol sounded amazed, which resonated with how I was feeling. I couldn't believe that she had pulled it off in less than five seconds. And with so much calm.

"Wow," Allie said, deadpan. "The faith that you all have in me is overwhelming. Can we all just take a second to remember when Kol tripped the alarm at the mansion in Canada?"

Kol's face reddened and Max laughed.

"I was _ten_!" Kol exclaimed defensively.

As they continued to argue, my cell phone rang.

 _Michael_.

My heart leapt as I realized that he would only be calling if he had news about Trent. I answered and pressed the phone to my ear, eager for news. "What's going on?"

"We found him."

I was awash in so many emotions. Thrilled that we'd finally found him. Angry that we hadn't been able to find him sooner. Nervous about the extraction. "You're sure?"

"Positive," he replied. "They moved him into the living room to get ready for the exchange. I have eyes on him right now."

"Give me the location and I'll be there soon for the extraction." I hated to leave Allie, but extractions were right up my alley. She would understand.

Michael gave me some coordinates and said that he would see me soon.

I hung up the phone, slipped it back into my pocket, and turned around to interrupt the argument that was still taking place. On screen, Allie had already slipped out of the closet and was continuing her trek to the archives.

"I have to go," I announced. "Michael found Trent."

There were so many questions at once that I couldn't make sense of them all.

I shouted above the noise. "Hey! Calm down. They found him just outside of Paris in a house owned by an associate of Medici's. He's in the living room being guarded until the exchange. This will be the perfect time to take him, so I'm going to go and head up the extraction."

"Hell, yes, you are," Allie said. "Who's better qualified for an extraction that a SEAL?"

I knew she'd understand. "I'll be there as soon as you're free," I promised her, the words heavy with meaning.

"I know you will."

With a nod, I began to move for the doors. "Make sure you let me know as soon as Allie is safe so that we can move in on Trent."

"We will," Alex promised. "And make sure that you let us know once you have Trent back."

"I will." I gave them all one last nod, looked at Allie on the screen one more time, and then slipped out into the darkness.

Allie

Knowing that Steve was on his way to get Trent back had lightened the load considerably. Even if I somehow failed at getting the box back, Trent would be safe from Medici's wrath.

"You're coming to the second door," Kol said in my ear.

"I'm not doing this blindfolded, you know."

He scoffed. "Forgive me for trying to help you."

"Help me _what_? Interpret what my eyes are seeing?"

"This is why I never liked pairing them on heists," I could faintly hear my father say. "Always bickering."

"Bantering," Kol and I corrected him together.

Roger cut in. "You're good to go. They have it back up."

"Awesome." I grabbed the cart and left the closet, intent on my next location. "I should be able to make it through two more doors before the next sweep. After that… only one more door before the archives."

"You can do it," my father encouraged me.

"She knows that," Kol said before I could. "She's just keeping us updated."

"You know… this takes me back. Remember Russia, Kol? We were sixteen."

He laughed. "One of my favorite heists _ever_. You're fiery when you feel tricked."

"That woman was _venomous_ ," I said. "I'm glad she lost all of her precious jewels."

"I remember this heist," Edward chimed in. "It really put you on the map."

"She was already on the map." I detected a hint of pride in my father's voice. "But, yes, Russia sent her straight to the top of everyone's list. People still talk about it."

As I walked, I remembered what it had felt like at sixteen, having just pulled off two huge heists back to back. The first had been a paid job – an older woman that I knew through friends of friends of friends (yeah, that kind of thing) had approached Kol asking if we could do a job for her. She said that one of her sisters had sold a painting that had been in the family for generations and she would pay good money to get it back for her.

Kol and I had been so excited to get the job all on our own that we didn't do the basic research. We didn't find out until afterwards that the woman had lied and had paid us to steal a painting from a woman that had refused to put it up for sale. This woman hadn't wanted to put the painting up for sale because it had been painted by her grandfather just for her. Therefore, it was a very unique piece and worth quite a bit of money. But for the victim… the sentimental value had been so much greater.

Naturally, I'd been beyond pissed that I'd been tricked, and Kol and I had recruited our father and uncle to help us get back at the trickster. After a series of small cons, we pulled off a grand heist in which we recovered the painting, framed the woman for its disappearance, and snatched her most valuable jewelry pieces. Our favorite fence had fetched a beautiful sum for them, too. She hadn't yet gotten out of prison, as far as I knew.

"One minute." The warning from Roger halted my train of thought and I quickly glanced at my surroundings. Luckily, I was right where I needed to be.

"Got it," I said as the watch on my wrist gave me the same warning. "There's a storage closet just up ahead."

"And then one more door and you'll be at the archives," Kol reminded me. "Do you know what security is like in there?"

He'd touched on my greatest fear. "I have the floor plan memorized. I know that after I get through the door with my badge, there will be a vault door guarding the archives. It _looks_ like there are sensors in the hallway, but I'm not entirely sure."

"I don't like this," my uncle muttered.

"I don't like it, either," I announced as I ducked into the storage closet with my cart. "But Medici doesn't really seem to care, strangely."

"Just be careful," Uncle Edward said.

"Damn it," I muttered. " _Bold and reckless_ was my plan."

He started cursing in French.

Kol laughed.

"I can see Medici's men working in the system," Roger cut in. "It should only be a few more seconds."

"And then I have to get through this next door _and_ the archives door before the time runs out," I said as nausea twisted my stomach into knots. "And I have _no_ idea what's waiting for me between the two doors."

"This should have been a long heist," my father said, and I could hear his own fear. "We would have had to get someone on the inside, wait the right amount of time for them to be granted full access… This isn't a heist that should be taking place with so little prep and no one on the inside."

"Now's not the time for this, Alex," Edward said in a soothing tone. "We're as prepared as we can be. And we have a contingency plan to get Allie out if something goes wrong."

"Yeah, hold on tight to that," I spoke up and walked out of the closet when my watch flashed. "I'm back at it. I'd appreciate it if any and all expressions of fear were held back until all of this is over."

No one said a word.

I got through the first door with my copied badge and took a deep breath as I slowly stepped inside.

The hallway before me was eerily quiet, save for the hum of the fluorescent lights. The tile and floors were stark white, as was the ceiling. At the end of what looked to be a 25-foot-long hallway was a floor-to-ceiling vault door.

The archives were just behind it.

 _So close_.

"Okay," I said and took a deep breath to steady myself. "Let's do this thing. I'm going to check for sensors. Roger, are you ready to help if I set something off?"

"Ready," he assured me. "If something goes off, I'll catch it and make it look like their security system has a virus."

"How are you going to do that?" Kol asked him curiously.

"I'm going to actually send a virus."

"Then just _say that_ ," Kol told him. "You said you were just going to make it look-"

I cut him off. "Okay, Kol. Trying to focus here, if you don't mind."

"Right, sorry."

From the janitor's cart, I withdrew a device meant to detect motion sensors. It didn't go off at first, so I cautiously began to creep forward with the cart. About five feet from the vault door, though, it went off.

"Sensors," I cursed.

"Did you really expect there to _not_ be sensors?" Kol asked me.

"No." I pouted as I knelt beside the cart. "But it would have been really nice if the guard's badge had allowed me access all the way to the archives."

"What kind of sensors are we dealing with?" Roger asked me.

"Active motion," I responded. "The ultrasonic technology caught it, infrared didn't."

"I hope that you had a plan for both."

I scoffed at my brother. "Of course I did. Why do you think I needed this big janitor's cart?" From the cart, I withdrew the special goggles that I'd requested. "This is going to show me where the sensors are."

"Are you going to be able to move like that, though?" Kol asked me. "No offense, but… you're pregnant. And you may not be as flexible or agile as you once were."

"I've kept up my stretches." But he was right to be concerned.

Once the glasses were on, I looked at the lines and sighed.

"What?" Kol asked.

"They're not _too_ complicated… but also not easy."

"It wouldn't be any fun for you without a challenge," Kol teased me. "You're the great _Allie Rhodes_. Are you sticking with that name, by the way, or are you ever going to go back to the original?"

"I like the name Allie," I told him.

"Um, you only have two minutes left," Roger told me. "Are you going to be able to do it?"

"I don't exactly have a choice," I muttered and stepped up to the first line. "Wish me luck?"

"You don't need luck," Kol told me, voice firm. "Now, get past those lines and into that vault."

With one more deep breath, I lifted my foot.


	54. Switch It Up

… **..**

 **Welcome back to another chapter! I hate how close we are to the conclusion of the story, but it must go on. Thank you all so much for your support in the form of reads, reviews, favorites, follows, and private messages. I appreciate each and every show of support so much.**

 **Also, really quickly… does anyone have any good book recommendations? Feel free to private message or leave them in reviews, but I need more books to read. Also accepting children's book titles, because I feel like my son has read every children's book ever (haha). Even all of the Usborne books that we have, which is a lot (and if you haven't read Usborne books to any kids in your life, you should. They're so engaging).**

 **I told you all that I'd have something up for a vote over the next few chapters, so here it is… I have already been working on the plots for several other stories, and since all of you have been so incredibly amazing, I wanted to give you the opportunity to choose which one you read first. Here are your options:**

 **1\. Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**

 **2\. Kaya Romano belongs to an ancient society of assassins – The Silent Death. Her father, the leader of the assassins, asks her to go to Hawaii to oversee the group that is stationed there. When she meets Steve McGarrett, she tries her hardest not to fall for him, knowing that it would never work between them. And when she is tasked with killing the man that could be her redemption, can she break centuries worth of tradition to protect him? Or will she succumb and take her place as the new leader of The Silent Death?**

 **3\. Steve McGarrett finally feels settled in, having solved the mysteries that his father left behind. But he's quickly unsettled once more when there's a knock on his door late at night and the visitor is covered in bruises and stitches.**

 **Cora Grant knew that there was only one place where she would feel completely protected from her abusive husband. But would Steve McGarrett take her in? Would he take a stance against a man that he had served beside? She would just have to take the chance.**

 **So… you can leave your vote in the form of a review or a PM (or both, if you want extra votes). You can vote after each chapter up until chapter twenty-seven (which will give you five chapters to vote). Yes, you can vote as many times as you want, so if there's one that you're really crazy about, make sure that you're voting on it. As I said, I already have outlines for all of these stories, so I'm pretty confident in each of them.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has voted so far, and thanks in advance for those of you that are planning to vote!**

 **(I also would like to say that I use some artistic license in this chapter to fudge some science and get things done. Please don't hate, because I'm warning you in advance. I consulted with an engineer friend of mine to still try and make it as realistic as possible.)**

 **Disclaimer: I only use the characters from the show, not the timeline of events. And all of the OCs are of my own creation. I know that you guys get it, but still…**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Four: Switch It Up_

Allie

Roger's voice seemed to echo in my ear, a ticking bomb. "Ten… Nine… Eight…"

I swung my leg and then bent over backwards, feeling the pull in my abdomen, as I spun the upper half of my body between the last set of lines. Confidence was key in getting past motion sensors… but so was caution.

"Seven… Six…"

I got my legs through, made it to the pad, and set the contraption on top, praying that it would work.

"Five… Four…"

Through my goggles, I saw the lines blur and then disappear. The device was working to interrupt the signal.

I let out a sigh of relief as I rushed to the cart and pulled it up to the vault door as I hooked the stick onto the cell phone and pulled up the camera.

"Three… Two…"

"Allie, you aren't going to make it!" Kol said at the same time.

"Such confidence," I uttered and took a picture with the cell phone in my hand.

"Allie!"

"One," Roger said. "They're out of the system and I can't hold it, Allie."

"You don't have to." I whipped the selfie stick out to its full length and used it to hold the camera in place over the security camera.

"That doesn't have the full range of motion that their cameras normally do," Roger told me.

"Here's hoping that they don't notice," I responded. "At least, not for thirty seconds."

"No one is reporting anything yet," he told me. "It might work."

"It was the best plan that I could possibly have right now."

"It just has to work for twenty more seconds," Kol said. "Just be very, _very_ still."

"You mean I _shouldn't_ shake my hand wildly?"

"I hate you sometimes."

"Ten more seconds and you should be good," Roger told me. "Hang in there."

"Will do," I said, though the stretching had made me uncomfortable. "Then, I just have to get through this vault."

"The software on that circuit board should be able to do it," Roger said.

"I have faith in you, Roger."

I could hear the smile in his voice. "The cameras are frozen again. You're good to go."

I pulled the camera down with relief. "No one said anything?"

"I doubt they're paying all that much attention to the archives hallway," Roger said. "They're probably pretty busy watching all of the hallways around the party. How's it looking?"

With deft fingers, I unscrewed the top of the control panel and took Roger's circuit board out of the pocket of my jacket. "Good so far. So, which wire do I hook this up to?"

"The group of wires in the back. It'll have a bunch of different colors."

I bent slightly to get a better angle and clicked my flashlight on. At first, I couldn't see it, but then I did and cursed. "It's behind some metal. And I can't get a blowtorch in there without damaging wires."

"You brought a freaking _blow torch_?" Kol asked me.

"Focus!" I snapped, adrenaline rushing through my body as the panic set in. "I don't know what to do. Can I override their system somehow?"

"Not in four minutes. Not without hacker experience." Roger's voice also held a touch of fear. "Umm…"

"Hold on, hold on!" Max said, and then I heard his voice more clearly, as if he'd moved closer to the microphone. "How much metal is there?"

"About an inch across and…" I reached in to feel. "Not very thick. Maybe one sixteenth of an inch. It looks like aluminum. I can't see the screws, though, so I can't take it out."

"You don't _need_ to take it out," he said, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. "You just need to get Roger's wire through to the others. You need to _bend_ it."

"In three minutes," Roger added.

"You still have the screwdriver?" Max asked me.

"Can't you see it in my hand?" I held it up to the box. "What do you want me to do?"

"Start hammering," he said. "Hard. You need to try to puncture it."

"Are you serious?" I demanded. "That's going to take forever!"

"Not if you can find a hammer in the janitor's cart that could help."

I rushed to the cart and thankfully found a hammer that I could use. "Okay. Here it goes." I held the screwdriver steady with one hand and used the other to hammer. It took a bit, but I finally felt the metal giving way. "It's working!"

"Of course it is," Max said, slightly affronted. "I'm an engineer, you know."

"In _three different fields_!" Kol said before Max could, because that's always how Max followed up that statement.

"Shut up," Max replied. "Do you have pliers? If you can get the pliers through there, then you can spread it enough to get Roger's wire in."

"Yeah, there's some pliers." I ran to grab them and returned to the box. "Okay. Here it goes."

Roger gave the time. "You have one minute and twenty seconds to finish this."

"How long will your device take?" I asked, slightly out of breath due to the exertion.

"Twenty seconds max," he answered. "Likely more like ten or fifteen."

"Let's hope so." I gave one more pull of the plier handles and then pulled them out. "Okay. I think that's wide enough." It turned out to be _exactly_ wide enough, and I felt like rejoicing as I hooked up Roger's device. "It's connected. How much time do I have?"

"Forty seconds," Roger answered.

I watched the tiny screen on the device anxiously. "How will I know that it's done?"

"It'll flash green."

"Of course," I replied. "How typical."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

The screen flashed green and I excitedly unclipped it from the wires as I heard a loud click from the vault door. "I'm in."

There was cheering from their side as I slipped the device into my pocket.

"Hurry and get in," Roger told me. "You only have twenty seconds."

"I'm aware." I put the panel back on and slipped the screws into the holes, but I didn't have the time to actually screw them in yet. That would have to wait.

"Ten seconds," Roger informed me.

"I'm beginning to hate you, Roger," I said as I rushed to the cart and began to pull it towards the door.

"You know, they say _don't shoot the messenger_."

"I hate _them_ , too." With much effort, I was able to open the vault door and push the cart inside.

"Five seconds," Kol and Roger said at the same time.

"Shut up," I ground out as I closed the heavy vault door behind me with a click.

Edward's voice was the next one I heard in the darkness. "You're clear."

"And _blind_ ," I complained and began to feel around in my pockets for my flashlight. "Can someone check in on the party and tell me how everything is going?"

Moments later, just as I was clicking on the flashlight, Roger gave me an answer. "The party is fine. I don't think that anyone has noticed that you're gone."

"Excellent." Sweeping the flashlight back and forth, up and down, I began to feel discouraged. "There are _hundreds_ of things in here. How the hell am I supposed to find _one_ box?"

My father spoke. "Your mother said that she put it inside of a Lombardo sculpture."

"Whoa!" Kol said.

Max gasped.

Even I was shocked. "She _ruined_ a _Lombardo_?"

"Oh, calm down!" my father said. "It was for a good cause."

"I, too, am appalled by this," my uncle said.

"Jesus," my dad muttered. "Just find the sculpture, open up the back, and get the box."

The archives seemed to be organized by type of art, so I moved over to the sculpture section with my cart. "So, not only did _she_ ruin a sculpture, but she wants me to ruin it all over again to get the box?"

"You won't be ruining it again," he assured me. "She said that she slapped it back together with some cement that was on hand that day."

Everyone but him gasped in shock and disgust.

"My God, people," he said, aggravated. "This box has codes that can destroy the world."

"So an original Lombardo had to suffer?" Kol asked. "It's just _sad_."

"It is what it is, Kol. Let it go."

Before Kol could respond, I said, "I think I found it." Reaching out, I turned the sculpture slightly so that I could look behind it. The back had been broken out in one part and very poorly replaced. I felt sad looking at it. "This is so sad."

My dad sighed in a longsuffering way. "Just break the sculpture, Allie."

"Yeah, yeah. I will." I found the hammer and walked back to the sculpture. "It's just a damned shame." After one big breath, I swung the hammer and winced at the crack that it made. "Please forgive me, Mr. Lombardo. Your works are magnificent."

"Break the damn sculpture, Allie."

"I am!" I snapped back at him. "Give me a minute. Geez." I swung the hammer several more times until, finally, the cement began to fall away. "I think I got it."

After brushing away some of the bigger pieces that had fallen inside, I reached in and my hand closed over something textured and hard. Further exploration revealed that it was the same size as the music box.

Bingo.

I pulled it out and took a minute to study this box that had caused so much drama in my life.

It was golden, glinting in the light from my flashlight. The designs on it were so intricate that I could have spent half an hour studying them. It truly was a work of art, and it was such a shame that it had been used for such a sinister purpose.

"Allie?"

I realized that I had been silent for too long and shook myself out of the stupor. "Yeah, sorry. I have the box."

There was cheering from the van.

"Get packed up and ready to go," Roger told me. "The sweep will happen in one minute and twenty-four seconds and then Medici's men will have the freeze frame up again. You'll be able to slip out then."

"Right." I hid the box on the janitor's cart and spoke aloud, mostly to myself. "I have to make sure that I put the control panel back together. We don't want anyone getting suspicious. Then, I just have to leave the same way that I came in."

"What about the motion sensors?" Kol asked me. "What are you going to do about that? Go through them all over again?"

"Hell no." That had been a workout to last me for a while. "The device should keep them disrupted for just long enough for me to get through them."

"Forty seconds," Roger said.

"I'm going to be really glad when you stop barking times into my ear," I grumbled.

He grumbled something unintelligible back at me.

"I'm at the door," I informed them all as I reached it. "Just waiting on my cue."

"You sure you want me to give it to you?"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Roger."

He snorted. "Twenty seconds."

I grabbed the screwdriver so that I would be ready to get to work as soon as I walked out. "I'm ready."

"Ten seconds."

Soon, it would all be over.

I couldn't be readier.

"Sweep is happening." And about thirty seconds later, "Okay, you're good to go."

My watch confirmed it and I pushed open the vault door with great effort, so glad to be shutting it behind me for the last time. I made quick work of the control panel, screwing it all back into place and then heading down the hall with the device.

"No sensors were tripped," said Roger once I was officially out of the hallway. "Nice job. I'm watching all of the other cameras for guards, but you're clear. Most of them are still at the party."

" _Most_?" I asked. It only took one person to screw up a plan.

"Some are in the break room," he answered. "And… there's one patrolling on the top floor. You should be good."

"Just keep a close eye out." The last thing that I needed was to be caught in the home stretch.

I was on high alert the whole way back, but I didn't run into any problems whatsoever. Finally, I had made it to the women's bathroom where it had all started.

"I'm leaving the cart _here_ ," I murmured as I left the cart just outside the door. "And it should be gone when I get back, courtesy of Medici." He was the one that had gotten the woman to sign on with the catering company and work this event. It was the most of an insider that we could possibly have.

"Great job, Allie," Kol congratulated me.

I grabbed the bag with the box and slipped into the bathroom. "It's not over yet."

"Close enough."

"Let her know that I'm ready," I said and went into my stall.

"Will do."

Changing back into the dress was a little complicated by myself, but I managed. The hat hadn't messed up my hair too much, thankfully, and my makeup hadn't smudged at all. Satisfied, I slipped the uniform and badge into the waterproof bag that I'd had Imran stash in the tank of the toilet. My family had left it for him, and he'd found a way inside.

Teamwork.

I finally came out of the stall to find my mother waiting by the sinks. She had used her skills of disguise to make herself look different… I hardly recognized her, which was good. That meant that Medici wouldn't, either. She certainly looked like she belonged there, though. Her dress had to have been worth at least as much as mine and she wore it with confidence.

When she saw me, she smiled. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

"Please don't call me that." So that I didn't have to look her in the eyes much longer, I walked over to the counter and leaned down, feeling beneath. Finally, my hand found the large clutch that the caterer had stashed there for me. It was just the right size to hold the music box.

Or its forged twin.

"Do you have the forgery that Jason made?" I asked.

My mother grabbed the museum gift bag at her feet and held it out to me. "I'm so proud of you. That couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't." I handed her the real box and put the fake one into my clutch. "You're going outside to give that to Dad and the others, right?"

Her blue eyes widened in surprise. "You think that I intend to steal it?"

I didn't, but I shrugged as if I did. "You did once, remember? That's why we're here today."

"Sweetheart…" She stepped forward and reached out as if to touch me.

I jerked away and headed for the door. "I already told you not to call me that."

"I'm sorry." When I turned to face her, I saw tears in her eyes. "Steve is with Michael and the team. They're ready to extract Trent as soon as you give us Medici's location."

" _I_ get to determine the exchange location," I told her and gave her the hotel name and room number. "Just wait outside for me." I handed her a flash drive that I'd kept taped to my leg. "This has a receiver in it. I'll be wearing a camera."

She took the drive and nodded. "We'll be watching, then. And waiting."

I just nodded and left, headed back for the party.

I was almost there when I was spotted by a guard, who called out, "Hey, you!" in French.

I froze, every nerve in my body standing on end. _Flee! Fight! Do something!_

"Me?" I asked, buying myself some time.

"Yes, you!" he said, and his stern expression said that not much was going to get to him. "What are you doing all the way over here?"

"I…"

"Well?" he barked when I paused for two seconds.

"I…"

"And _another_ thing!" a voice practically shouted and Imran rounded a corner, looking furious. But, when he saw the guard, he straightened and looked surprised. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. We… my fiancé and I were having a bit of an argument and she stormed away."

I jumped on it. "Because you were being an ass."

"An _ass_?" he exclaimed. "I said that I didn't appreciate you dancing so much with the investment banker! You know that he likes you! Why would you flaunt that in my face?"

"It's not like _you_ weren't dancing with anyone else!"

The guard pinched the bridge of his nose as if we'd given him a headache. "I've heard enough, okay? Just… go back to the party. Or leave and fight it out in your car on the way home. But this area is off limits."

"Sorry," I apologized and made a show of storming past Imran.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Sorry." And then he caught up to me and we both somehow managed to keep straight faces.

"Did you get it?" he asked me.

"I did," I responded. "Did _you_?"

"I did." He slipped me the hotel key. "I took care of Interpol, too."

"Then let's take down a sick bastard."

He shot me a grin and offered his arm, and we walked back into the party together.


	55. A Most Wondrous Conclusion

… **..**

 **Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another chapter of my story! And the last one of this year, so that's exciting! What are your resolutions for the new year, if you're into that sort of thing? I don't really do the "resolution" thing, but I do try to set goals every year. This coming year, I'd like to publish** _ **two**_ **Hawaii Five-0 stories on the site. I'm super excited to get started.**

 **I have already been working on the plots for several other stories, and since all of you have been so incredibly amazing, I wanted to give you the opportunity to choose which one you read first. Here are your options:**

 **1\. Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**

 **2\. Kaya Romano belongs to an ancient society of assassins – The Silent Death. Her father, the leader of the assassins, asks her to go to Hawaii to oversee the group that is stationed there. When she meets Steve McGarrett, she tries her hardest not to fall for him, knowing that it would never work between them. And when she is tasked with killing the man that could be her redemption, can she break centuries worth of tradition to protect him? Or will she succumb and take her place as the new leader of The Silent Death?**

 **3\. Steve McGarrett finally feels settled in, having solved the mysteries that his father left behind. But he's quickly unsettled once more when there's a knock on his door late at night and the visitor is covered in bruises and stitches.**

 **Cora Grant knew that there was only one place where she would feel completely protected from her abusive husband. But would Steve McGarrett take her in? Would he take a stance against a man that he had served beside? She would just have to take the chance.**

 **So… you can leave your vote in the form of a review or a PM (or both, if you want extra votes). You can vote after each chapter up until chapter twenty-seven (which will give you five chapters to vote). Yes, you can vote as many times as you want, so if there's one that you're really crazy about, make sure that you're voting on it. As I said, I already have outlines for all of these stories, so I'm pretty confident in each of them.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has voted so far, and thanks in advance for those of you that are planning to vote!**

 **And thanks to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. I appreciate every show of support for the story.**

 **Happy Reading, everyone! And Happy New Year!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Five: A Most Wondrous Conclusion_

Steve

"Still holding," I said before Michael could ask for the fiftieth time. Of his many skills, patience was not one.

Allie's oldest brother let out a frustrated breath. "We've been holding for forever."

"We've been holding for half an hour."

"Which feels like forever when you're waiting to rescue your brother."

I nodded. "That's fair. But we're still holding." I adopted my authoritative tone and expression. "Is that clear?"

"Clear," he ground out and plopped down beside me. "Anyone ever told you that you have a control issue?"

 _Many_ people had told me that, actually, but I didn't bother trying to list them. "No. No one has ever told me that before."

"Odd," he muttered.

I ignored that and looked through my binoculars again. Nothing had changed whatsoever. There were two men patrolling the perimeter and two more men inside with Trent, who was sitting on a long couch with his hands cuffed in front of him.

"As soon as I get a text from Kol that Allie is on her way to the exchange, we'll take Trent back."

Michael let out a long breath. "I know. And I appreciate your help. This is just hard for me. I'm the eldest brother, you know? I'm supposed to protect them."

His words struck a chord with me. "I get it, man. I have a younger sister and if anything happened to her… I would never forgive myself."

Allie's brother looked over at me and half smiled. "You're okay, man. Max and I weren't the most accepting in the beginning, and I'm sorry for that. I blamed you for letting her be taken, but it wasn't your fault."

I shook my head. "Believe me, I blamed myself plenty, too. If I had taken her with me to the airport to pick up Kol… If I had checked in on her when she got to the house… If I had gone with her to make sure that she had made it home okay…" I sighed. "God, it all seems like so long ago now, but it was just a couple of months."

"Medici would have grabbed her somewhere else, you know," he told me, just as Danny had. "When he wants something, he gets it. And you couldn't be with Allie twenty-four seven. You're here with us now, working to get back not just Allie, but Trent, too. You're going to be an invaluable member of this family."

Best to just make one thing clear from the start… "I'm not going to help you guys with cons. But, yeah, if one of you ends up in trouble, I'll be there as soon as I can. Anytime."

The corner of his mouth pulled up. "I appreciate it. You sure about the cons thing, though? A former Navy SEAL would have most of the skills necessary to be a good con artist."

"It's a hard no," I told him. "And technically, I'm in the Navy Reserves, so I'm still a SEAL. I still go to training a few times a year."

"Look at him go, ladies and gentlemen," Michael muttered under his breath, teasing.

"Shut up," I muttered and looked through the binoculars again. "It kind of looks like something is going on. Tell the guys to be ready to go when I give the word."

Suddenly on high alert, Michael spoke into his walkie talkie. "Be ready to move, guys. It looks like something might be going down."

They all responded back that they were ready to go when the word was given.

"What's it look like?" Michael asked me.

I handed him the binoculars and watched him put them to his eyes as I summarized what I saw. "One of the men inside got a call and it looks like everyone is starting to get ready to go. They got Trent up and they're about to move him. That's the perfect time for us to strike. Are these guys equipped for that?"

Michael gave me a hard look. "Sy and Craig are former military and Brayden has had a lot of training in this sort of thing, as have I. We may not be your caliber, but we're good enough for this."

That was good enough for me. I nodded. "Good. Be ready to go. Tell Sy and Craig to sneak up behind and Brayden will come in from that side over there."

He spoke my directions into the walkie talkie, and then we all slowly began to creep forward.

"Tell them that as soon as the first car door opens, we'll go," I said, and Michael repeated my instructions.

It took me back to my time with the SEALs, when we'd done extractions. The adrenaline that I felt was an old friend, and I welcomed it. It would help me get the job done. My mind was singularly focused on the mission: rescue Trent.

I drew my weapon as we reached the edge of the hedges and the gun felt right in my hand. It had been far too long since I'd had the opportunity to use it (which Danny would have scoffed at). But could I help it if I enjoyed shooting, whether it be at targets or terrible people?

Beside me, Michael drew his own weapon.

"A Glock?" I asked, surprised.

"Don't criticize my gun," he warned me.

I held up my hands in surrender. "It just surprised me."

We grew silent as Medici's men walked outside with Trent among them, hands still cuffed. The other two men that had been on perimeter duty joined them as they all moved for the big black SUV that sat in the driveway.

"Game time," Michael said from beside me.

I clicked the safety off and tightened my grip on the gun. "Hell yeah, it is."

One of the men reached out and opened a door on the SUV, and we all sprang into action. Michael and I reached the men first, and a fight broke out. The man in front of me drew his gun and I dispatched him with a quick shot to his abdomen and then to his chest.

None of the guards had walked out with their guns drawn, so I found that it was actually very easy for us to overtake them. Unfortunately, they had all decided to try to fight back, so none of them had survived the fight.

It was all over in less than a minute.

Quick and efficient.

" _Michael_?" Allie's brother, Trent, stood with his mouth hanging open, disbelief evident on his face.

Michael rushed forward and hugged his brother before pulling back with a laugh. "You stink, Trent."

"Yeah, well, they didn't let me out of my room very often. Showers were scarce." He held up his cuffed wrists. "Do you think you could get these things off of me now?"

"I'll find the key," I spoke up.

Michael held up his hand to stop me. "Don't bother, newbie." From within his pocket, he withdrew a tool that I'd seen Allie carry before and, in a matter of seconds, he had the cuffs off of his brother.

"I'm impressed," I said.

Michael winked at me. "Lots to learn, if you want."

"No, thanks."

Trent looked from Michael to me. "Anyone care to make the introductions?"

"Ah, right." Michael stepped between us and gestured with his hands as he spoke. "This is Steve, Allie's fiancé. Steve, this is Trent, the brother that you haven't met yet because he got himself locked away."

Trent flicked Michael an annoyed glance. "Yeah, I was just having so much fun locked away in a mansion without any access to the outside world. It was like my version of a freaking _spa_."

"I thought so." Clapping a hand down on his brother's shoulder, he said, "You ready to get out of here, though? Allie's about to hand Medici a fake box and we're all going to watch. You in?"

"Of course." Trent rubbed his chafed wrists and followed us as we began to walk back to the cars. "She wouldn't happen to be breaking his kneecaps while she's at it, would she?"

"You're bloodthirsty," I commented.

Trent flicked a glance at me. "I wouldn't mind seeing him get what's coming to him. Would you, in my position?"

I thought for a moment and then shook my head. "Probably not."

"Not to interrupt," Craig said as he caught up to us, "but what do we need to do about the bodies? Does one of us need to stay and start digging, or…?"

"Oh, no, I've got it," I said and dug my cell phone out of my pocket.

A few rings in, he answered. "Steve. Give me the good news."

"Allie got the box and we got Trent back."

Seth let out a sigh of relief. "That's wonderful. I've just been waiting to hear that. So, what can I do now?"

"You said that the cleanup crew here in Paris owes you a favor, right?"

He sighed. "Of _course_ you left a trail of bodies in your wake. How many?"

"Four."

"Oh." He sounded surprised. "That's not as bad as I was expecting. Yeah, send me the coordinates and I'll have men there within the hour to clean it all up."

"You're the best, Seth."

"Of course I am. Tell Allie to call me when she has a chance."

"Will do."

I hung up the phone and nodded to Michael. "All good."

"Excellent," he said. "Did Kol text you the location?"

I nodded and rattled off the name of the hotel. "Allie somehow got a room there and that's where she wanted to do the exchange. That's where those men were headed with Trent."

Trent spoke up. "Yeah, they got a call about ten minutes ago. They're supposed to drive to the hotel and just wait with me until they get a call from Medici."

"Excellent. We didn't give anything away by killing them," I said.

"It's been a good day," Michael agreed. "Now, let's just hope that Allie can nail Medici's ass to the wall once and for all."

"I don't even care if it's his ass," I said as we reached the cars. "I just want that son of a bitch in jail for the rest of his life."

"Or dead," Michael said.

"Allie wouldn't kill him," I informed him. "No matter how bad we all wish she would."

He sighed. "More's the pity."

Allie

As the car drove away from the museum and began to wind its way through the streets of Paris, I looked out the window at all of the lights and people. Everything about Paris seemed so romantic, and I had missed a lot of that because I'd been so wrapped up in the chaos of planning a huge heist on such a tight time limit.

But now… I wanted to stay in Paris forever.

With Steve.

I knew that I would change my mind as soon as it was all over, though. I hadn't grown up in Hawaii like Steve had, but I had found my forever happiness there. My home was there. My friends were there. My life was there. My baby would be born there, and maybe more babies would be born there, and Steve and I would grow old together there on that island.

I was going to find my happily ever after, even though I hadn't really believed in such a thing until I'd fallen in love with Steve. Even with Ari, I had thought that there would be too many obstacles for us to have that "fairy tale ending" that you always see in the movies.

But life isn't like the movies… it's bigger and messier and crazier and much more complicated. And things, unfortunately, don't always work out in a roundabout perfect way. And somehow, that's even better.

I was brought out of my reverie when the driver announced that we had arrived at the hotel.

"Thank you," I said when he opened the door for me and helped me out.

He nodded and then slipped back into the car and drove away.

I would never see him again.

That happy thought propelled me forward and I pushed my way into the hotel. The lobby was grand – exactly Medici's style – and I had been greeted by no less than three employees by the time that I reached the elevators.

I made my way up to the seventh floor and then walked all the way down the hall and to the very last door. The key that Imran had given me slid in smoothly and the light flickered green as the lock clicked. I pushed the door open, stepped inside, and was pleased to see that I was alone. That gave me plenty of time to plant the small camera somewhere that Medici would never think to look and open the balcony doors to let in some cool, fresh air.

Then, I grabbed a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge and began to sip, letting it calm my nerves. I was _so close_ to being done with this whole thing, and getting overconfident would certainly mess things up. I needed to stay calm, cool, and collected. And I needed to get Medici talking.

There wasn't long to wait. Medici arrived ten minutes later, two men trailing behind him instead of the usual one. My tormentor was dressed quite fashionably in a tuxedo that had been tailored quite well to him, as if he had been attending the party instead of waiting a safe distance away.

His eyes were glowing with excitement as he asked, "May I see it?"

"First, I want to make sure that you remember our terms. And that you plan to hold up your end of the deal."

A flash of irritation dimmed his eyes, but he recovered quickly and nodded. He'd waited years to get the box back… he could wait a minute longer. "You get Trent back, of course. A team of my men are waiting in the parking lot with him and they'll bring him in as soon as I call. Then, I leave you and your family alone forever, no matter what. Does that about sum it up?"

I nodded. "It does. But I _do_ have a question, if you don't mind. A mystery that I'm hoping you can solve for me."

He seemed mildly surprised by the request. "I'll help in any way that I can, of course."

"Jason Fitzsimmons."

The name didn't ring any bells for him. Of course, it wouldn't for someone like him. "I'm sorry?"

"Jason Fitzsimmons. I worked with a man on the bomb squad who had a brother in Interpol that disappeared while investigating a case in Italy. Rome, I think. That's your own backyard. Things don't go down there without your knowledge and approval. I was wondering if maybe you knew what had happened to him." Jason Fitzsimmons' brother hadn't worked on the bomb squad with me, but I was hoping that Medici didn't know that.

His eyes lit with recognition. "Ah, yes. I _do_ remember him. He was investigating my restaurants. I think that he suspected that I was moving illegal weapons through them."

"And he was right," I guessed.

Medici shrugged in a what-can-you-do kind of way. "He got a little too close to something that wouldn't have been good for me."

"So, what did you do, then?" I asked him. "Just between us."

He didn't even blink. "I had him taken care of. I made sure that he would never tell anyone else what he discovered. What did you expect?"

"That's about it." I turned and headed over to the couch, where I knelt down. I stood once more when I had the clutch in my hands. "I guess all that's left is the exchange."

Medici's eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas when I pulled the box out of the clutch. "So long…" he murmured as he stepped forward. "I can't believe that it's finally here…"

I took a step back, dropping the clutch, and tightened my fingers on the box. "It doesn't end here, does it?"

Surprised, he held up his hands in a soothing manner. "It _is_ all over, _passerotta_. I can promise you that. I've given you my word, remember?"

"But you'll break it as soon as you need something."

"I won't," he promised.

I took one more step back. "You _killed_ an Interpol agent because he got too close. I don't think that there's anything that you wouldn't do." I held the box up. "Including selling these nuclear codes to the highest bidder."

The shock on his face when he realized that I knew what was inside the box was almost comical. "You… how do you know what's inside the box?"

Instead of answering his question, I took one more step backwards. That would be just far enough. "And just like my mother, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that this is kept as far away from you as possible."

"No!" he shouted, but he was too late. I had already turned and launched the box out the balcony doors and over the side. It had disappeared into the night, down into the water below.

When I turned back around, I found myself looking at a gun.

Medici's hand was subtly shaking as he held it, his face red with anger. "You've messed with the _wrong_ man. I don't care that you're a woman. I don't care that you're pregnant. _I. Will. Kill. You._ I hope that was worth it."

With a calm that I didn't really feel, I smiled and said, "It was."

As Medici's finger found the trigger, the door behind him and the two guards (who also had their weapons drawn and ready) flew open and Interpol agents began flooding in. At the same time, I watched as a bullet came from behind me and ripped into Medici's skull.

The once powerful Italian businessman sank to his knees and then fell, dead.

And I turned and gave a grateful nod to the one lone boat on the Seine.

It was finally over.

Forever.


	56. Together Again

… **..**

 **Hey, everyone, and welcome back to another chapter! Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following, and private messaging me! I appreciate you all so very much and I hope that you had a wonderful New Year's! I hung around with family, and that's my favorite way to spend any holiday. Did any of you get up to anything fun?**

 **As you'll know if you've been reading these pre-chapter author's notes, my goal for this year is to publish (and by that, I mean** _ **finish**_ **) two Hawaii Five-0 stories this year. And just to clarify, that doesn't include this one. I'm so excited to start working on the first one.**

 **I have already been working on the plots for several other stories, and since all of you have been so incredibly amazing, I wanted to give you the opportunity to choose which one you read first. Here are your options:**

 **1\. Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**

 **2\. Kaya Romano belongs to an ancient society of assassins – The Silent Death. Her father, the leader of the assassins, asks her to go to Hawaii to oversee the group that is stationed there. When she meets Steve McGarrett, she tries her hardest not to fall for him, knowing that it would never work between them. And when she is tasked with killing the man that could be her redemption, can she break centuries worth of tradition to protect him? Or will she succumb and take her place as the new leader of The Silent Death?**

 **3\. Steve McGarrett finally feels settled in, having solved the mysteries that his father left behind. But he's quickly unsettled once more when there's a knock on his door late at night and the visitor is covered in bruises and stitches.**

 **Cora Grant knew that there was only one place where she would feel completely protected from her abusive husband. But would Steve McGarrett take her in? Would he take a stance against a man that he had served beside? She would just have to take the chance.**

 **So… you can leave your vote in the form of a review or a PM (or both, if you want extra votes). You can vote after each chapter up until chapter twenty-seven (which will give you two more chapters to vote). Yes, you can vote as many times as you want, so if there's one that you're really crazy about, make sure that you're voting on it. As I said, I already have outlines for all of these stories, so I'm pretty confident in each of them.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has voted so far, and thanks in advance for those of you that are planning to vote! So far, number one and number three are in a close race to the finish, so be sure to get those votes in! You'll only have this chapter and the next one left to vote. (And someone was asking for more clarification on voting for chapter 27, so to be clear: you can vote until chapter 28 goes up.)**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Six: Together Again_

Steve

I was out of the car so fast that no one had time to stop me. Some part of my brain processed Kol and Michael calling out for me, but they didn't have a chance in hell at catching me. The SEALs had taught me a vigorous training regimen that I'd never slacked on, and nothing could stop me until I got where I was going.

The elevator doors were closing as I approached, but that was just as well because they would have taken too long for my taste anyway. Instead, I veered off and burst into the stairwell, launching my body up as Michael called out for me from below.

Seven floors was a long way, but it felt like only a moment. I burst out of the stairwell, heart pounding in my ears, and my eyes homed in on the door at the end of the hallway. That was the room that Allie was in. My feet were already moving before I could send the signals.

The door was already open and I knocked over an Interpol guy as I sprinted inside and looked for her.

 _There_.

She was standing next to another Interpol agent, gesturing calmly as she spoke. He was taking notes on a small pad in his hand, so I assumed that she was giving a statement. As the realization that she was safe finished processing in my brain, I noticed how incredible she looked.

 _Wow_.

I didn't know much about gowns, but I knew that hers had to be expensive. I also knew that she looked _stunning_ in it. She really looked like a member of the high society – down to her flawless party makeup and fancy updo. I was left feeling breathless, and not just from the seven-story sprint.

"Hey." An Interpol agent with beady eyes magnified by thick glasses stepped in front of me and frowned. "Who are you?"

By some miracle, I didn't shove him away and get myself arrested. "Steve McGarrett."

"And what are you _doing_ here, Steve McGarrett?" he asked, perhaps not able to see that I could easily toss him over the balcony if he kept pestering me.

I was saved from having to answer by Allie, who had finished with her agent and was walking towards me looking like a goddess. "Steve!"

"Allie!" I shouldered past Mr. Inferiority Complex and gathered Allie in my arms, right where she belonged. She smelled like heaven, and her skin was warm and soft against mine. I didn't think that I was ever going to be able to let her go again. Except to kiss her, which I promptly did, not caring that we were in a room full of people.

"Can't… breathe…" she finally laughed and I quickly released her, keeping a grip on her shoulders to steady her.

I studied her and found that she was much the same. "You look beautiful."

She smirked at me. "You look like you just ran up seven flights of stairs."

"He… did…" Kol said as he entered the room with Michael, both of them sweating and out of breath. "What… the hell… man?"

"There were gunshots…" As I remembered, I looked around the room and saw the body lying in the middle of the living room area. "Medici?" Surprised, I looked at Allie. "Did you…?"

"No," she answered, but there was something heavy in her eyes as she shook her head, signaling that we would talk about it later. "We don't know where the shot came from."

" _Shot?_ " Michael clarified, brow furrowed. "There was only _one_ shot? Are you sure? Usually-"

But Kol deftly nudged his older brother in the side. "And we're _so_ glad that it didn't hit _you_. Aren't we, Michael?"

For the first time since he'd entered, Michael seemed to realize that we were surrounded by Interpol agents. They were all doing their own thing, but they still had ears. He nodded and played along. "So glad. That would have been terrible."

"Thanks."

Kol grinned widely and stepped forward, arms out. "Hey, twin."

Allie left her place at my side. "Hi, twin. Thanks for coming."

"Always."

As they embraced, I found that having her more than a few steps away from me made my anxiety grow to dangerous levels. She'd been gone for so long that I never wanted her to be far away ever again. This time, I _would_ protect her.

And my baby.

She stepped away from Kol to hug Michael, and I took the opportunity to study her from the side. She looked very much unchanged, which didn't surprise me since she'd told me that her morning sickness had made her lose weight in the beginning. I honestly couldn't even tell that she was pregnant, which worried me. I made a mental note to ask her later about everything that the doctor had been saying about her weight and the baby's growth. Alex had told me that Allie's mom really hadn't gained much weight in any of her pregnancies, either, but I still wanted a professional opinion.

"The others are outside," Kol told Allie when the hugs were finished. "Are you ready to go?"

Shaking her head, Allie stepped back and grabbed my hand. "Not quite yet. Tell them all to go back to the house. I have a few things to take care of, and then we'll be there."

Michael opened his mouth to ask what those things were, but Kol swiftly cut him off. "Great. We'll tell them." He winked at me and grabbed Michael's arm to tow him out of the room. "See you guys in a bit."

Once they had disappeared through the door, I looked at Allie with raised eyebrows. "What things?"

She laughed, nudged my side playfully, and then danced over to the Interpol agent that appeared to be in charge. They had a quick exchange, she took the card that he offered her, and then she came back over to me. "I have to stay in town for the week, but then we can go back to Hawaii. He said it seems like a pretty open and shut case. Medici had a lot of enemies and its likely that one of them hired a hitman to take him out."

"That _does_ seem likely," I agreed.

"It does." She handed me the Interpol agent's card. "Put this in your pocket, would you? I don't have any pockets."

My gaze slid hungrily up and down the length of her gown before I did as she'd asked. "Anything else?"

Her blue eyes were dark – almost gray – with desire, but what she said next was not what I expected. "We need to go down to the docks."

"The…" My brain was working double time to process what she'd said. "The _docks_?" When she didn't correct me, I shook my head. "I guess I'm not understanding what the docks have to do with… anything."

She laughed, grabbed my hand, and began to guide me towards the door. "Trust me, there are other plans, too. But I have something that I have to take care of first."

I followed, still disappointed that we weren't going to a different hotel room. There was electricity crackling all around us after being apart for so long and I wanted to _do something_ about it. But I was a grown ass man, not a horny teenager, and I could wait.

Maybe.

We stepped into the elevator, the doors closed, and we began the descent. "The hotel has docks?"

Allie nodded. "They share it with a few of the businesses around here. But one of the hotel's main attractions is their cruise of the Seine."

"Fascinating." But not _nearly_ as fascinating as the way that the gown clung to her curves. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"Have you lost some of that intense SEAL focus since we last saw each other?" she teased me, even though the desire was evident in her eyes.

"Only when it comes to you."

She smiled and pulled me along as the elevator doors opened. "Let's go."

We walked outside and then down to the docks, where the slight breeze coming off of the water had made the air a bit chilly. Concerned, I slid my jacket onto her shoulders and she smiled warmly at me as we continued the trek.

At the last boat, she stopped and spoke in a loud voice. "It's a marvelous night for a scone, wouldn't you say?"

"What?" I asked, but then I saw him.

A man had stepped out of the shadows, and I hadn't been able to see him earlier because he was dressed all in black. His hair was dark, as was his neatly trimmed facial hair. I felt like I'd seen him before, but I couldn't place him.

And then it hit me like a speeding train.

"Ari?"

The man looked at me and smiled. "You must be Steve."

But I couldn't respond to him because panic had seized my heart in its vice-like grip. If Ari was alive…

Sensing my panic, Allie squeezed my hand and moved so that I could see her face. She was smiling at me. "Steve, this is Ari's brother, Imran."

All of the air left my lungs at once and an immense relief took its place. "Oh."

She laughed and went to hug the man that looked so much like his brother. "It worked."

"Of course," he laughed as he hugged her. "We're brilliant."

I shook his hand when Allie made the introductions, and things all began to fall in place for me. "You're the one that helped her get the phone so that she could video call me for the gender reveal. And you helped out in the museum. But how…?"

They exchanged a glance and then Allie said, "It's a long story. Let's just say that Ari put an emergency plan into place a long time ago and Imran has been carrying the torch since he died."

Knowing that Allie would give me more detail later, I nodded and accepted that answer. "So, do you work for Mossad, too?"

Imran nodded. "I do. I'm an assassin, like my older brother was."

The final pieces began to fall into place. " _You_ killed Medici."

"I did."

Allie's expression was both sad and serene as she said, "Medici going to jail would have only created a whole new host of problems. He'd given his word not to go after any of us ever again, but he very well could have convinced others to do so for him."

"And there's the whole matter of Russian security," Imran added. "He hadn't announced what was in the box because he didn't yet have possession of it, but he would have spilled the secret in jail, if only to make Allie suffer for landing him there."

"In this case," I said, "I think that justice was served perfectly."

"I don't want anyone else to know about Imran, save for Kol," Allie told me. "Not that I don't trust them, but… I think it's better and safer that way."

I nodded. "I agree."

Imran glanced at his watch and then sighed. "I should get going. I'm glad that all of this is over."

"Me, too," Allie and I said in unison.

He laughed and then dug something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a room key for the hotel. "Room seven-fifteen," he told me with a wink and then hugged Allie one more time. "If you ever need me again, you know how to find me."

"I appreciate everything," she told him sincerely. "Come to Hawaii and meet the baby. We'll have that lunch and talk about Ari while Steve stays home with the crying baby."

"Why does he have to be _crying_ , though?" I asked. "Why can't Steve stay home with the _napping_ baby?"

Imran laughed. "I'll be there. See you soon." And then he headed up the dock.

Once he was out of sight, I turned to Allie and held up the room key with a smile. "This was all a part of your master plan?"

She faked innocence. "Oh, we don't have to go if you don't want to."

"We're going," I insisted and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her along. "You really thought of everything, didn't you?"

"I did," she agreed with pride. "Down to having Imran send in a tip to Interpol so that they'd be there for the whole thing. It's been a while since I've planned a heist – and hopefully I'll never have to plan another one – but I've still got it."

"Hell yeah, you do." I was so incredibly proud of the way that she'd handled everything. "You're a superhero in my book."

"That means a lot, coming from a real hero."

"I have a question," I told her.

"Then ask."

"Has your doctor said anything about sexual activity? Any restrictions?"

"None," she said with a smirk. "Why? What did you have in mind?"

"I haven't been with you in months," I reminded her. "I don't know how much _thinking_ will actually happen."

"We'll just have to see."

I opened the hotel door and we stepped inside, losing ourselves in the small crowd that had likely gathered to see why Interpol vehicles were outside.

Our room was on the seventh floor and I was surprised to walk in and find that we were in a nice suite. "One night here would cost about two months of my salary."

"Well, you're not paying," she laughed. "This is courtesy of Medici. It's the least he can do after everything, don't you think?"

"The very least."

We were all alone, finally, and I took a minute just to study her. _Goddess_ didn't even begin to cover it, really. All at once, I felt so overwhelmed at how very lucky I was to have her in my life.

"You okay?" she asked me.

Instead of answering with words, I stepped up and kissed her. It was a kiss that spoke of joy and desire. It communicated my heartache at being separated from her and the relief that I felt that she was okay. A raging fire, it soon consumed both of us, and we had no chance of escaping its grasp.

Though it had been a couple of months since we'd shared this level of intimacy, our bodies remembered like it was only yesterday. We knew exactly where to move, exactly how to touch… and we flew together into a bliss that made my head spin and took all of my breath away.

"We should go," she said an hour later.

My arms tightened around her and I shook my head. "No way. Let's stay here."

She laughed against my chest and gently disentangled herself, having to fight me every step of the way. "My family deserves to see me, too, you know."

"Michael and Kol saw you. They can pass along the message that you're alive and well." I reached out for her, but she danced away and moved to begin putting her clothes back on. I groaned.

She laughed and threw my briefs over to me. "Everything will be back to normal soon, I promise. But for now, things are going to be a little crazy. Having me near you again will just have to be enough."

I gave her a loving smile. "It is. I'm just selfish and greedy."

We finished getting dressed and then left the hotel, where I found that Kol and Michael had left the car for us. She got into the driver's seat before I could even fully process it.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, motioning for her to get out.

She gave me a teasing smile and patted the passenger seat. "It won't kill you to ride shotgun just this once. Besides, I know these streets a lot better than you do."

I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit. Not even after her very valid points. "But…"

"Consider it therapy for your control issues."

My eyes narrowed at her of their own accord. "You're the second person today that has pointed out that I have control issues."

"Take that as a sign." Once again, she patted the passenger seat. "Hop in."

I sighed dramatically, but did as she'd asked.

She reached over and patted my shoulder in a very condescending fashion. "You're doing great, honey."

"We never should have left the suite."

Laughing, she started the car and then we merged into Paris nighttime traffic. She hadn't entered an address into the GPS, but she looked confident and it seemed like she was heading in the right direction. "Do you know the way?"

Allie rolled her eyes at me. "My parents used to send us here for a month every year so that we could learn from Uncle Edward. I know Paris much better than you do."

Well, it didn't seem like I would be getting the driver's seat anytime soon.

"Has Hawaii survived without us?" she asked me, likely to get me talking so that I would forget about it.

So, I told her about all of my phone calls with the team, and then about everything that had happened on our end that she hadn't had a chance to hear about yet.

"You went through a lot to find me," she commented once I'd finished telling her about recovering Trent.

I grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips. "I'd do _anything_ for you."

Her eyes smoldered. "And I for you."


	57. A Slow Return To Normal

… **..**

 **Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another chapter! I appreciate everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. You all mean so much to me, and it has been so uplifting to see how much you're enjoying the story. I have over 500 reviews, which is something that I honestly didn't even dream of when I first started. I can't even tell you how much it means to me.**

 **A reader private messaged me to congratulate me on reaching 500 reviews, and I was blown away when I realized that was true. When I first started this story (almost a year ago), I** _ **never**_ **expected to have even close to that many reviews. My goal was to reach 100 by the end. To have five times that means more to me than I could ever put into words. A special thank you to all of you that have taken the time to leave reviews.**

 **I have already been working on the plots for several other stories, and since all of you have been so incredibly amazing, I wanted to give you the opportunity to choose which one you read first. Here are your options:**

 **1\. Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**

 **2\. Kaya Romano belongs to an ancient society of assassins – The Silent Death. Her father, the leader of the assassins, asks her to go to Hawaii to oversee the group that is stationed there. When she meets Steve McGarrett, she tries her hardest not to fall for him, knowing that it would never work between them. And when she is tasked with killing the man that could be her redemption, can she break centuries worth of tradition to protect him? Or will she succumb and take her place as the new leader of The Silent Death?**

 **3\. Steve McGarrett finally feels settled in, having solved the mysteries that his father left behind. But he's quickly unsettled once more when there's a knock on his door late at night and the visitor is covered in bruises and stitches.**

 **Cora Grant knew that there was only one place where she would feel completely protected from her abusive husband. But would Steve McGarrett take her in? Would he take a stance against a man that he had served beside? She would just have to take the chance.**

 **So… you can leave your vote in the form of a review or a PM (or both, if you want extra votes). You can vote after each chapter up until this one. Yes, you can vote as many times as you want, so if there's one that you're really crazy about, make sure that you're voting on it. As I said, I already have outlines for all of these stories, so I'm pretty confident in each of them.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has voted so far, and thanks in advance for those of you that are planning to vote! So far, number one and number three are in a close race to the finish, so be sure to get those votes in! You'll only have this chapter left to vote. (And someone was asking for more clarification on voting for chapter 27, so to be clear: you can vote until chapter 28 goes up.)**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Slow Return To Normal_

Allie

"It's been so long since I've been here," I said as I pulled through Uncle Edward's gate and towards his large garage. "It feels like a lifetime ago."

"It was." A shadow flitted across Steve's face. "I have a feeling that it's going to take a while for things to go back to normal."

As I waited for the garage door to lift, I reached over and took his hand. "But it will. And I don't know about _you_ , but _I'm_ in it for the long haul."

He responded to my teasing with a smile. "Me, too."

"Good." I skillfully backed into the parking space and then pushed the button to close the garage door behind us. Steve started to open his door to get out, but I reached over and put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Are you sure that you're okay with it?"

The smile that he gave me held no touch of uncertainty. "I'm one hundred percent okay with it. Like you said… it just… _fits_."

"I'm glad that you think so." After a deep breath, I nodded and went to open my door. "Okay. Let's go and see everyone."

Even though I knew that it was just going to be my family (and also some people that might as well have been my family), I was nervous to see everyone. It didn't really make any sense, so I tried to just push the feeling away. When that didn't work, I reached out for Steve's hand and he took it immediately. It didn't make the nerves go away, but it soothed them just enough for me to be brave.

Steve reached the door and placed his hand on the knob, looking at me encouragingly. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

He nodded and opened the door, gesturing for me to go inside first. I could see lights on in the grand living room, so I headed that way with Steve right on my heels.

I rounded the sharp corner and…

"WELCOME BACK!" The roar of multiple voices shouting made the baby jump in my stomach and I laughed as a cascade of bright confetti showered down on me and Steve, who was unluckily just a little too close to me.

The next several minutes were filled with hugs and kisses and questions and tears and so much emotion that I was close to sobbing by the time that I'd been herded to the front of the room.

"Drink something before you pass out," Kol laughed as he handed me a champagne flute filled with a gold, bubbling mixture.

"Uh, Kol?" I asked him pointedly.

He rolled his eyes at me. "So little faith. Yours is sparkling grape juice." He held his own glass up as if he was toasting. "Mine is _not_. Now, _speech_!"

Everyone cheered and agreed that I should say a few words, even though my head was spinning and I knew that I would sound like a total idiot. These people had worked so hard to get me back, though. If they wanted me to say a few words, then I would gladly do so.

As I cleared my throat, Steve stepped up beside me with his own glass, smiling and looking as though he'd been a member of this group for years. He definitely belonged here with all of us. Or maybe I just thought that he belonged wherever I was.

Whatever it was, I cleared my throat and felt more confident with him beside me.

"It's been a long time since I've seen most of you," I began as I looked out at the sea of faces. There were some people that I hadn't seen in maybe a decade, yet they had turned up to do their part in recovering me. It choked me up, and I had to clear my throat and begin again.

"I don't know if there are enough words in any language to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for the part that you played in helping me pull off this heist. A wise – and slightly _eccentric_ – man," I looked at my Uncle Edward with a teasing smile, "once told me that the real heroes of a heist are the ones that do the grunt work. And that's all of you. You should all be so proud of yourselves, because none of this would have been possible without you."

"Especially me," Kol added, earning himself a smack upside the head from Trent and Max, who stood on either side of him. "Ow!"

"I've been learning a lot about family in the last year," I continued after everyone had a good laugh at Kol's expense. "I started working in a wonderful government task force in Hawaii, and those people are – and always will be – my ohana. I know that they'll have my back, no matter what happens. Just like all of you had my back. Family… it isn't what's in the blood. That's just genetics. Family is commitment. Family is love. Family is a choice. And I will be eternally grateful that you all chose to let me be a part of your family."

Raising my glass – and pushing back tears – I said, "To family."

"To family!" everyone echoed, and there were clinks from glasses before everyone began to drink.

"To family," Steve whispered in my ear, wrapping an arm around my waist from behind as he clinked his glass against mine. "Beautiful speech."

"I try," I said and took a sip of my sparkling grape juice. "Is the champagne good?"

"It is," Steve said teasingly. "You can try some in a few months."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Kol said loudly, and the chatter around the room began to die down as everyone turned their attention back to us. "Tell us about the baby!"

Everyone began to murmur their agreement, and I looked to Steve to see what he thought.

"It's up to you," he laughed. "If you want to keep it a surprise, that's fine."

"No," Kol quickly disagreed. "No, no, no it _isn't_ fine. We all need to _know_. Gender and name."

Just to have a little fun, I asked, "Does anyone have any guesses on the gender?"

So, the next ten minutes were filled with questions about what I'd been craving and what the baby's heartrate was, etc. Sometime in the middle of all of the chatter, Kol retrieved a whiteboard from somewhere in the house and began acting as the self-appointed vote tracker.

"This is fun," Steve laughed as he watched the chaos.

I laughed with him and let him pour me some more juice. "It is. I'm glad we're doing this."

A few minutes later, everyone had casted their vote and it seemed that _girl_ was the popular choice. Only by a few votes, though. I noticed that Kol had voted for a girl.

"Okay," I said, my smile feeling like it was splitting my face. "Everyone ready?"

I swear, you could have heard a pin drop in that room.

When I nodded, Steve announced, "It's a boy."

A cheer went up around the room.

"This is great!" Kol said when it started to die down. "Now you can name your baby after me!"

"We've already got a name, actually," I said and looked up at Steve, raising my eyebrows in a question.

He nodded.

"Care to share?" Trent asked us.

My smile somehow widened.

"Ari. Ari Steven McGarrett."

Steve

The week after the heist and Medici's death passed far more quickly than I had thought that it would. I finally got to attend a doctor's appointment with Allie, where her OB assured me that her weight was fine because the baby was growing right on track. We also got the appropriate paperwork to have Allie transferred to the care of an obstetrician back in Hawaii. Apparently, Allie already had one picked out and talked to their office and everything. Such a planner.

We spent the rest of the time exploring the city. Allie showed me some of her favorite places and we explored some new ones together. Paris was beautiful, certainly, but I couldn't wait to be back in Hawaii. The architecture of Paris just couldn't compare to the beaches of my home for me. Allie revealed that she felt the same way.

"It's your home, too," I told her, proud.

"No," she disagreed and kissed me. " _You're_ my home. You and Ari. Wherever you go, I'll go. Hawaii, France, India…"

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "Not India. I don't think I can find a good burger in India."

She laughed. "Yeah, _that's_ the biggest problem with that plan."

We arrived at the airport on Monday evening, all set to fly home. Edward had offered us the use of his jet, but Allie and I had wanted to make the flight like a "normal" couple. Still, he had insisted on upgrading us to first class.

"Speaking of _first class_ ," I murmured to Allie as we watched her brothers check our suitcases in for us, "are we ever going to talk about all that _money_ in your safe at home?"

Her smile was full of secrets. "It's my _just in case_ money."

"There's like half a million dollars in there." Not that I had actually counted. It was just a guess.

" _Exactly_ half a million," she agreed. "Yes." And then she moved to thank her brothers for bringing our luggage in for us.

As she said goodbye to Trent, Michael, and Max, Kol found me and shook my hand, grinning broadly. "I'm pleased to inform you that I'll be coming back to Hawaii with you."

To say that I was surprised was a gross understatement. "I thought you were going to stay in Paris and see what mischief you could get up to here." At least, that had been his plan up to the previous night.

He discreetly glanced over his shoulder, where his father stood a short distance away, observing the farewell. At his side was Evelyn, looking so longingly at her embracing children, likely wishing that she was among them. But none of them had really forgiven her yet, and I couldn't blame them. She hadn't exactly acted like much of a mother over the years, so she couldn't really expect to be treated like one now.

Kol looked back at me. "Mommy _Dearest_ plans to remain in Paris with my father for a while. Edward needs some help planning a job in Germany."

"A _job_." Meaning a con. And somehow, I was perfectly okay with that. Well… maybe _okay_ wasn't the right word, but I didn't plan to out them, provided they never brought their crimes to Hawaii. After all, they were family now.

"That's what I said. Anyway," Kol continued, "I know that Allie is wanting the wedding to happen before the baby comes, so I should be on hand to help with that, I think. You know, venues to scout, cake to test… that kind of thing."

I couldn't fight my smile. "Right. Well, you're more than welcome to come and stay with us."

"Uh, no, thanks," he said, holding up his hands and wrinkling his nose distastefully. "You and Allie have been staying in a hotel every night because you've been apart for so long and can't seem to take your hands off of each other. I don't need to be around to witness that."

"That's probably a smart call."

He nodded and clapped my shoulder. "I'm going to go and give Allie the good news."

"You do that."

Once he was gone, Michael, Max, and Trent came over to bid their farewells to me.

Michael went last, and he smiled as he shook my hand. "If you ever decide to switch sides, we could really use your skills."

"Likewise," I told him seriously. "If you ever decide to go into law enforcement…"

Trent laughed. " _That_ would be a disaster waiting to happen."

That earned him a slap upside the head from his older brother, who frowned disapprovingly and began to describe the traits that would make him an excellent law enforcement officer. They continued to argue as they walked right past their parents and out the doors of the airport.

Kol and Allie walked over, and Kol announced that he was going to go ahead and go through security. "Allie wants to say goodbye to our father, but I don't want to be anywhere near that woman."

"I don't, either," Allie informed him. "But I should say goodbye to Dad."

"You do that." Lifting his hand, Kol turned and moved for the escalators, which would take him up to the security area.

I grabbed Allie's hand, smiling. "Ready?"

"Not to be around _her_." She sighed. "Let's make it quick."

"Well, it's not like we have a ton of time, anyway," I reminded her. "We still have to get through security and then find our terminal and then board."

"Good point." We had reached her parents and she pointedly avoided eye contact with her mother as she hugged her father and thanked him for everything that he had done.

"Of course," he told her gruffly as he held her, tears in his eyes. "You're my only little girl. You know I'd do anything in the world for you."

Allie pulled away and smiled. "I'll see you soon."

He nodded. "See you soon."

Evelyn began to step forward as if to say something, but Allie turned sharply, taking me with her, and we began to move for the escalators only a few minutes behind Kol.

"That wasn't so bad," I said as we rode up towards security.

"I guess not," she muttered, but there was a sadness about her that I knew would last for years to come.

Allie

"People are too cheery here," I complained as I watched a group of college girls shriek as they tried to take a good selfie.

Steve smiled good-naturedly. "It's the middle of the day here."

"Don't remind me." Thanks to layovers and a delay, we were arriving in the middle of the day instead of during the night. "Now, I have to wait like another six hours to sleep, or I'll never get rid of this jetlag."

"What?" Kol brushed by me to claim his suitcase. "You have a blank check to sleep whenever you want, Allie. Use it."

"He's right," Steve pointed out. "Pregnant women get to take as many naps as they want. And you didn't sleep very well on the plane, so I think getting a nap in sounds like an excellent idea."

It sounded like an excellent idea to me, too, but… "If I sleep now, the jetlag is just going to keep getting worse. I need to stay up, go to bed later tonight, and try to put this whole mess behind me."

"Whatever you say," Steve said and moved to grab our luggage.

Once everything had been claimed, we moved through the airport and towards the exit. We rounded the final corner and then I was almost tackled as someone squealed and threw their arms around me.

"Whoa!" I said.

It was Kono's voice that I heard in my ear. "I'm so glad that you're _back_!"

I hugged her back. "It's good to _be_ back."

She pulled away to allow Chin, and then Danny, to hug me and welcome me back. Then, they moved on to Steve, and finally to Kol.

"Thanks for coming to drop off the truck," Steve said as Danny handed over the keys.

"No problem," Danny responded with a smile. "I'm glad that everyone is back in one piece and no one died."

"Well…." Steve said thoughtfully. "A _few_ guys died. And Medici… _he_ died…"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Well, I mean, _you_ were involved, so of _course_ there was some death."

They continued to bicker until Chin cut in, holding a small silver gift box out to Steve. "I brought what you asked for."

Steve took the box and looked around at the members of Five-O. "You all agree?"

They each nodded, smiling.

I didn't really like being in the dark. "Agree with what?"

Winking at me, Steve turned to Kol and held the box out to him. "This is for you."

Kol was even more surprised than I was as he reached out and took it. "It's not my birthday."

"I'm aware," Steve said.

"Open it!" Kono clapped.

Shrugging, my twin took the lid off and then stared inside, his expression morphing from curiosity to awe.

"What's in it?" I asked impatiently.

From inside, he withdrew a gold badge that glinted in the sunlight streaming in through the windows.

It was a Five-O badge.

My twin looked at my future husband and asked, "You really want me to join the team?"

"We _all_ do," Danny said in a rare moment of seriousness. "You're very skilled, and we could really use you here."

"That is… _if_ you want to stay here in Hawaii with your twin and your nephew," Steve teased him.

Kol turned to me, grinning, and said, "I'd love nothing more."

Tears in my eyes, I hugged him. "Welcome back to the side of the law."

He sighed. "The only downside."

Everyone laughed and moved to congratulate him.

And I silently rejoiced in the new normal.


	58. The Beginning of Happily Ever After

… **..**

 **Hello, everyone! The last three chapters of this story will be going up this week… It makes me so sad to say that, but I also think that it's time. I started this story a little over a year ago, and I'm proud of where it's gone. It has given me the opportunity to branch out and try something new, and I have rediscovered my passion for writing. A lot of you have been a big part of that, so I want to say thank you to those that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. You all mean so much to me.**

 **As you know, I gave everyone the opportunity to vote (via review and/or private message) on what my next story would be, and option one narrowly won! If you've forgotten what option one was, here it is:**

 _ **Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**_

 **I've not yet decided on a title, but I have started working on it already and the first chapter should be out soon, so be on the lookout. And thank you so much to all of you that voted; it was really fun to see your thoughts and opinions.**

 **That being said, there** _ **is**_ **something that I want to address, and I don't want anyone to take it the wrong way, because the last thing that I would ever want to do is offend anyone, since I love you all so much. But… I think that education on abuse (domestic or otherwise) is extremely important. Someone had made some suggestions for writing the domestic abuse story, and more than a few others private messaged me with concerns about those suggestions. So, for a quick minute, I would like to say a few words about this.**

 **I, myself, was in an abusive relationship for two years. I don't say that for sympathy, but so that you know that I would, of course, treat any domestic abuse story with the utmost care. Nowadays, I work as a mental health professional, and I all too often find myself working with abuse victims, and there is something that I want to clear up.**

 **Every. Relationship. Is. Different.**

 **Every. Person. Is. Different.**

 **We all handle things in different ways. Someone messaged me with concerns that they didn't fit in with these suggestions that an anonymous reviewer had left and it was causing some distress. Listen, everyone will react differently to any given situation. Abuse is no different. Sure, there are common denominators, symptoms, etc., but ultimately, everyone is different and every situation is different.**

 **All that to say that if I do end up writing a fanfiction story about domestic abuse, I will treat it with care, and authenticity should not be a problem, as this is something I deal with on almost a daily basis. And I did not plan on making it super violent or gory, or anything like that. I hope that things are a little clearer now.**

 **I also want to say that you are always free to reach out to me at any time. I consider you all my** _ **ohana**_ **now, and I'll help in any way that I can. Or, if you just want to chat about anything, I'm here. I love people and chatting. Lol**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Beginning of Happily Ever After_

Steve

When the door to my office opened, I didn't even look up from my research on the suspect. "You can just set the report on the chair. I'll get to it in a few minutes."

"Oh, was I supposed to write a report?" Allie was standing in the doorway, smiling sardonically. "How careless of me. I must have forgotten."

All thoughts of murder and mayhem flew from my mind as I took her in. She'd thankfully gained a little bit of weight, but I couldn't even tell because the skinny jeans and black blouse that she had on hid any hint of a pregnancy. All of the signs of her pregnancy were in her dark hair (which was thicker and shinier than usual) and her incredibly bright blue eyes.

I stood and gestured for her to come in. "It's odd to see you in here without a badge."

"Chin said the same thing." She stepped forward and kissed me. "He also said that you're after a murderer. Need some backup?"

It took me a second to understand that she was teasing. "Ha. Not from you. You keep yourself and Ari as far away from gunfire as possible."

"Aye, aye." Flopping down onto one of the chairs, she looked up at me lovingly. "You're going to be one of those overprotective fathers."

I sat down on the corner of my desk, facing her. "And?"

She shrugged and laughed. "Nothing. I really just came by to say hi. My last dress fitting was in the area and I was going to see if you wanted to grab lunch. But, clearly…" she waved her hand over the papers smattered across my desk, "you're busy."

Regretfully, I nodded. "A little busy, yeah. But hopefully it'll all be wrapped up soon and I can be home for dinner. And then… we get married on Saturday."

The joy in her eyes made my heart burst with happiness. She was just as excited to marry me as I was to marry her. We were crazy in love. Just the way that it should be. "We do. Any hint of cold feet?"

I snorted. "I'm a SEAL. We don't _get_ cold feet."

"If you say so," she teased as she stood. "Well, I'll get out of your hair and let you catch a killer. Michael, Max, and Trent are flying in this afternoon and they'll probably join us for dinner. I'm making enchiladas."

"And we have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning," I reminded her. "So, no eating when you wake up. Glucose test."

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Don't remind me."

I laughed. "Dr. Connors said it wasn't so bad, remember?" I didn't see how it wouldn't be bad, though. Dr. Connors had said that Allie would basically have to drink a solution of sugar water (that she claimed tasted like flat soda), wait an hour, and then have blood drawn. Boring and disgusting were the two words that came to mind when I thought about it, but I was trying to be positive and supportive for Allie's sake.

"I remember. But you know I don't trust people. We'll just have to see."

"Okay. We'll see, then." I stepped forward and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "I'll let you know if I can't make dinner."

"If you can't, I'll just eat your enchiladas. I could probably eat the whole pan myself, if I let myself."

That wasn't an exaggeration. She could really shovel the food down nowadays. "And yet, you've only gained six pounds this pregnancy." I leaned back to teasingly look her up and down. "But I have _no_ idea where it's going."

She slapped my arm. "I had to gain back the weight that I lost with that awful morning sickness. But you heard Dr. Connors… Ari is growing right on track. And she also confirmed that my fitness routine is acceptable, so I don't want to hear any more about it from you. Because, as I already pointed out, Ari is doing great."

"I'm glad." Nothing could have made me happier than knowing that the love of my life was going to marry me on Saturday, and that our baby boy was perfectly safe and healthy. "All's well that ends well, as the saying goes."

She kissed me quickly and then headed for the door. "I'll see you tonight!"

"Tonight," I murmured, though she had already disappeared through the glass door. "And on Saturday, we'll be bound to each other forever."

Allie

"You're kidding me, right?" My twin brother's expression was a perfect blend of disbelief and disapproval. "It's not funny."

I stared down at the piece of paper in front of me with growing frustration. "You're not helping, Kol. You're supposed to help me."

"You're the one that wanted to write your own vows!"

"I didn't know that it would be this hard!" At my desperate tone, Gideon's head popped up from his bed in the corner. Ever since I'd come back from our long separation, he'd been on high alert, and who could blame him? "It's fine, Gideon," I soothed, and he slowly let his head fall back onto his bed.

"It's not fine," Kol argued and sat down on the coffee table, even though I'd asked him a thousand times to use the chair or the couch. "I have to leave in five minutes to go to Steve's bachelor party and I will leave here with the knowledge that you haven't even written your vows yet. You _do_ know that the wedding is _tomorrow_ , don't you?"

Through clenched teeth, I growled, "I remember."

"Getting irritated at me isn't going to change the fact that _you_ still have to write your vows. Because Steve already wrote his, and they're really good. So, yours can't just be some random words off of the Internet. And you'd better hurry." He leaned over to pick up the pen that I'd discarded on the table. "You need your beauty sleep before tomorrow."

"I hate you."

"Great." He tapped his index finger on the paper in front of me. "Write it down. Write it all down."

"I'm going to give the man of honor title to Gideon."

Kol headed for the door, unfazed. "Gideon is the ring bearer. He can't be both. See you tomorrow morning!"

He was gone seconds later and then I heard his car pulling out of the driveway.

All alone, I looked over to Gideon. "Any words of wisdom?"

As if Kol had given him instructions, Gideon stood and trotted towards the back door.

"Very helpful!" I sarcastically called after him. "Traitor!"

He barked once before letting himself outside.

"Okay…" I sighed and stared down at the paper. It seemed to be taunting me. "I guess I'll just… brainstorm. Something will come to me, I'm sure of it."

An hour later, I had a bunch of ramblings that I was trying to piece together into some vows. No matter how I tried, though, it was like a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece… it just wouldn't go together. I thought and thought, but I just couldn't make it fit.

"I just need a break," I told myself, and went to go and take a shower, careful to leave my hair pinned up so that it wouldn't get wet because the woman that was going to be doing my hair wanted it to be "dirty".

After my shower, I gave myself a facial, because the last thing that I needed was to break out on the day of my wedding (even though I hadn't had a breakout in years). When I'd finished, I felt relaxed once again. Earlier in the day, Kono and I had gone to get manicures and pedicures, and I'd splurged on a full body massage to take away the stress of wedding planning. Pampering was just what every bride-to-be needed before the big day.

Still completely relaxed, I went back to my vows.

Ten minutes later, I was cursing myself for ever wanting to write our own vows. Why hadn't I just said that the traditional ones would be enough?

Then the idea came to me.

"A spin on the traditional," I said aloud to myself. It probably wouldn't be as perfect as it would have been if I'd taken the appropriate amount of time to write it out, but it would have to do.

Determined (and armed with a pen and a glass of vanilla iced coffee), I got to work.

Steve

"It's okay to be nervous," Danny said from his seat on the small couch in the room where we had gotten ready for the wedding. " _I_ was nervous before my wedding. Every guy is nervous before his wedding."

"I'm not nervous," I replied automatically, but my sweaty palms begged to differ.

"Right," my partner said. "Because nothing says ' _I'm completely calm'_ like uncontrollable, rapid pacing."

I _had_ been pacing, I realized, and I threw myself down into the armchair. "Maybe I'm a little nervous."

"And what guy _wouldn't_ be, on his big day?" asked a familiar voice from the doorway, and I looked up to see Joe White standing there, his smile so big it was a wonder it hadn't split his face yet.

"Joe." I stood and made my way over to the man that had been a father to me after my own father had sent me away. "I didn't know if you'd make it." When I'd called him to tell him about the wedding, he'd been in the middle of heading up a special op.

He pulled me into a tight hug. "As if I'd ever miss your wedding. You're as good as my own son." Pulling back, he gripped my arms and gave me an intense look. "Your father would be so proud of you."

"I hope so."

Chin and Danny rose to greet Joe, and then he asked, "So, what about this woman? I haven't had a chance to meet her yet. Tell me about her." But when I opened my mouth, he shook his head. "No, not you. You're _in love_ with her. Love makes you blind."

Danny chuckled. "Well, believe it or not, she's Steve's perfect match. CIA, White Collar division of the FBI, bomb squad… and about a million other things, so she's fifty times as talented as him. She's smart, funny, kind… we're all still trying to figure out what kind of hypnosis Steve used on her."

I elbowed him in the ribs as Chin and Joe laughed.

"I can't wait to meet her," he told me. "And I've been invited to the baby shower, no thanks to you." He glared.

Holding up my hands as if in surrender, I said, "Kono took over the baby shower thing. I haven't even seen the invitations, myself."

"Oh, they're adorable," Danny teased me. "Balloons and… bright colors…"

"You haven't even _opened_ your invitation, have you?" Chin asked him.

He shook his head. "No. No, I have not. But the important thing is that I know _when_ it is, and I know where Allie is registered, so…"

"You haven't gotten your gift yet?" Joe asked him.

Danny looked offended. "Why? I don't _need_ to get a gift yet. The shower is still… like… three weeks away. I'll go a few days before, buy the gift, wrap the gift, and then boom. I'm done."

"All the good stuff will be _gone_ by a few days before the shower, son," Joe said with great authority, as if he went to a baby shower every week.

Chin nodded. "Remember how many people are already RSVP'd? A lot of them probably already have gifts."

"Do _you_ have your gift?" Danny challenged him, crossing his arms over his chest. He fully expected Chin to say no.

"As a matter of fact, I _do_ ," Chin replied smugly. "I got the baby monitor."

Allie had told me that the registry was showing that the baby monitor had been bought, but I had guessed that Danny had gotten it. "I _wondered_ who had gotten that."

"I got the high chair," Joe said. "Ordered it this morning."

"Fine, fine!" Danny threw up his hands. "I'm getting on right now and ordering something." He took his phone out of his pocket and then paused, looking up. "What's the site again?"

Chin sighed and took the phone from him. As they began to look through the registry, Joe stepped closer to me and spoke in a low voice. "You doing okay, son?"

"Nervous," I admitted. "We wrote our own vows, and I'm worried that I'm gonna screw them up, you know? We've been through a lot, and I just want today to be perfect."

"It will be," he assured me. "You're marrying the woman that you love. Nothing else matters."

I nodded. "You're right, you're right."

"And I'll be there the whole time, so if you need a quick evac, just give me the signal." He said it with all seriousness, but smiled when I rolled my eyes at him.

"Okay, got that taken care of," Danny said as he and Chin approached. "I got the crib. No idea how I'm gonna wrap it, but I'll worry about it when it gets here."

"And it's time to get into position," Chin added with a glance at his watch. "Ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Joe clapped my shoulder and smiled. "See you out there, son."

Once he'd left, Danny gave me an encouraging smile. "All set?"

"All set."

"Then let's go."

Allie

Kol walked in, mouth open to say something, but stopped in his tracks when he saw me. "Whoa."

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and couldn't help but agree with him.

The gown that I had chosen was a Stella York, and I'd chosen it because not only was it incredibly beautiful, but it hid my pregnancy perfectly (not that there was a ton to hide). A-line with cap sleeves and an illusion back made it elegant, along with the matte lace on the bodice. The full skirt was made of tulle that smoothly flowed around me as I walked and formed a small train behind me. Around my waist was a crystal belt that matched the crystal hairpiece that ran through my curled updo.

My makeup was simple, drawing all of the attention to my radiant skin and my bright eyes. In my ears, I wore diamond teardrop earrings that Steve had given me the night before as a wedding present. The only other jewelry that I had on was my engagement ring, which was soon to be joined by a matching band.

"Thanks," I said once I looked back at Kol, who stood smiling proudly at me. "You don't look so bad yourself."

He was dressed in a gray suit that fit him extraordinarily well. As my man of honor, he would be standing beside me, along with Kono.

"I know," he said as he waved off my compliment. "But this one time, you actually look even better than me."

Kono laughed and stepped forward. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

Butterflies went wild in my stomach, but I smiled. "I'm ready."

The next few moments were a blur. Kono led the way, and Kol followed after he kissed me on the cheek. Gideon trotted after him, walking beside Steve's niece, who threw pink petals on her way.

And then it was my turn, and I was walking down the aisle as people that I knew and loved stood on either side of me, beaming at me. But there was only one face that mattered, and it was at the end of the aisle, waiting for me.

Steve had tears in his eyes, which brought tears to mine, and I clenched the bouquet in my hands just to have something to hold onto until I reached the end and took his hand, passing my bouquet off to Kono. The minister began to speak, but I couldn't even process the words that he was saying because I was lost in Steve's eyes.

Suddenly, it was time for the vows, and per Steve's prior request, he went first.

Squeezing my hands, he spoke with strength and confidence.

"I didn't like you when we first met."

It was the oddest way to begin vows, and everyone laughed, even me.

When the laughter had died down, he continued. "But that's only because I knew that you're twice the person I'll ever be. You're intelligent, kind, resourceful, charismatic, beautiful, and we'd be here all day if I tried to list your best traits. Suffice it to say, you are everything I never knew that I needed. I did nothing to deserve you, but I vow to spend every single day of the rest of our lives together striving to be worthy of you. I will love you with all that I have, cherish you always, and be there in every way that I can. Because our love is as boundless as the sea." He grinned. "And no one can understand that better than a Navy SEAL."

Through my tears, I smiled back at him.

The rest of the wedding was a blur. I must have remembered my vows, though, because we made it to the end and the next thing that I knew, Steve was pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss.

And then I faced the cheering crowd with my husband by my side.


	59. Ready to Pop!

… **..**

 **Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another chapter! There will only be one more chapter after this, so things are quickly drawing to a close. It makes me incredibly sad (and some of you have expressed the same sentiment), but it's definitely time. It's been such a fun journey, thanks in large part to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged me. I've enjoyed getting to know those of you that have reached out.**

 **As you know, I gave everyone the opportunity to vote (via review and/or private message) on what my next story would be, and option one narrowly won! If you've forgotten what option one was, here it is:**

 _ **Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**_

 **I've not yet decided on a title, but I have started working on it already and the first chapter should be out soon, so be on the lookout. And thank you so much to all of you that voted; it was really fun to see your thoughts and opinions.**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Chapter Twenty-Nine: Ready to Pop!_

Steve

"Ready?"

Allie buckled her seat belt and sighed. "Why do we have to get out of the house, again? And at six in the morning?"

Grinning because I found her irritation adorable, I answered, "Kono said that they needed to decorate the house."

"The party isn't until one. Who needs seven hours to decorate a house for a party?"

"Apparently, Kono." I looked over my shoulder and began to reverse. "She was very secretive about the whole thing."

"That can't be good."

I chuckled. "We're going to go and get some pancakes, take a walk on the beach, go see that movie you've been wanting to see, and then go and get your hair and makeup done. _And_ all of that is free because everyone chipped in to give us a free date day before the baby comes."

"Couldn't it have been a date _evening_?"

"Guess not." I laughed and grabbed her hand. "You've gotten pretty lazy since you resigned from Five-O."

She tried to look angry, but she was losing the battle to hold back her smile. "Forgive me for wanting a break after pulling off a completely badass heist in France. And before the baby gets here and I have to be up all night."

We'd recently attended childbirth and newborn basics classes at the hospital, and I'd been disappointed to learn that sleep training wasn't typically recommended in the first few months. Especially with breastfed babies, and Allie's plan was to try and breastfeed.

"I'll help at night," I told her. "You wrote that down and made me sign it, remember?"

She laughed. "I did. You'll regret signing it."

"Well, if we do have to be up at two in the morning, there's no one I'd rather be up with," I said and reached over to place a hand over her very small bump. She hid it very well beneath looser-than-normal clothes. Most people didn't even know that she was pregnant unless she said something.

Ari kicked and I smiled. I'd been feeling him moving for a while now, but it never ceased to amaze me that Allie and I had created a life together. It was, without a doubt, my greatest achievement.

We arrived at my favorite diner – now Allie's favorite diner as well – and as we walked in, she groaned in frustration.

I looked over at her with a smile. "You have to go to the bathroom?"

"Perpetually," she complained. "As if I didn't just go before we left."

With a kiss on her cheek, I said, "I'll be in our favorite booth."

She joined me there a few minutes later, where I already had a vanilla iced coffee waiting for her, along with a water. As we ordered and then ate, we talked about anything and everything. The parenting book that she'd just finished, the burglar that Five-O had apprehended the day before, Allie's bad dreams about Medici… all of it.

After our wonderful breakfast at the diner, we took a walk on the nearby beach. Even though it was early, there were plenty of people out and about. It was a Saturday, after all, so those that were busy at their jobs during the week were taking advantage of their free time, just as Allie and I were.

We walked in the sand for a bit and then Allie said that she was tired and wanted to head back to the truck and go to the movies. She'd been wanting to see some suspense thriller for a while, and Kono kicking us out of our own house had been the perfect opportunity. We armed ourselves with popcorn, a pretzel, and a soda to share and then sat down to watch. I left nodding in approval.

"Good," I told her as we walked into the beauty shop where she was going to be getting her hair and makeup done for the shower. "But why didn't he just take the gun and shoot the guy?"

Allie rolled her eyes. "Not everyone is a former Navy SEAL. He obviously didn't have much experience with firearms. Also, not everyone is as trigger happy as you."

"I take offense to that," I informed her and went off to the corner to pretend to pout while the woman in the shop got to work on Allie's hair.

An hour later, we were headed back to our house. Allie had changed into a pale blue dress that was loose and flowy. Her hair had been curled, and her makeup was a bit fancier than normal. She looked beautiful, but she always did.

I had just remained in the same clothes – a gray polo over jeans. No matter what I wore, I would look insignificant next to her.

"Jesus…" Allie breathed as we pulled onto our street and saw the cars lined up nearly bumper to bumper. "How many people came?"

"Kono didn't tell you?" I asked her and maneuvered into our driveway, where someone had courteously left us a spot. "She said something about, like… I don't know… _Seventy_ people, maybe?"

Allie's jaw dropped. "There are going to be _seventy_ people at this thing?"

I grinned at her. "More presents for Ari."

"Kono better be cleaning all of this up."

"She said she was." I took the keys out and opened my door. "Ready?"

"I guess I don't have much of a choice." Allie slid out and joined me as we walked towards the door, slipping her hand into mine. "Here we go."

"Here we go," I agreed and opened the door.

We were met with loud cheers.

Allie

"What is she doing here?" I whispered to Kol with a sneaky point towards our mother, who stood over in one corner of the living room talking with our father and Uncle Edward.

Kono, who had been passing by, stopped and gave me an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Allie. I didn't issue her a personal invitation, but I _did_ send one to your dad, and he brought her. Do you want me to kick her out? I can kick her out."

Kol pointed at Kono, and his expression said that he thought that she'd made a wonderful point. "She can kick her out."

As tempting as that was… "No. I don't want to create a scene. I'll just stay away from her. There's enough people here that I shouldn't have a problem with that."

The party was going on all throughout the kitchen, living room, and backyard. People were everywhere – and there were somehow some people there that I hadn't met yet. But I'd seen several people that I _did_ know. My family was there, obviously, as well as most of the people that had helped me in France. Joe White had given me a big hug as soon as he'd seen me, and he'd introduced me to Wade, who apparently still worked with the SEAL team on the island. Several of the HPD officers had come, as well as some of the lab people.

The turnout was incredible.

And Kono had done an _amazing_ job with the décor.

The theme was _Ready to Pop_ , which sounded cliché, but she'd made it look so cute. Blue, gold, and silver balloons were everywhere, as well as matching streamers. In the living room, there were two tables – one for snacks and one for drinks. The one for drinks held chilled glass bottles of all different kinds of soda from all over the world. The snack table held a popcorn bar, with cute blue popcorn boxes to put your popcorn in. (I had already sampled the nacho cheese and garlic parmesan popcorn, and they were both amazing.) Out in the backyard, there was a table with blue cake pops and mini bottles of champagne.

"You did a great job," I informed Kono with a smile. "Everything looks perfect."

Her eyes sparkled with a secret. "Just wait until you see the rest of it."

Confused, I said, "The _rest_ of it?"

"Later," she promised and pointed. "Look who just showed up."

Imran had just walked through the door, and headed my way when he saw me. Kono and Kol excused themselves after they'd told him hello.

I hugged him. "Thank you so much for coming."

"I wouldn't have missed it," he assured me. "You really went all out with this."

"Not me," I assured him. "Kono threw the shower. In fact, I was kicked out of my house this morning so that she could get it all set up."

"Ah," he laughed. "Where's Steve?"

"Out in the back with most of the men. Kono set some games up back there and they're all playing. Let's go say hello."

Imran and Steve began to talk, so I moved around and chatted with various people until Kono announced that it was time for presents.

She had Steve and I sit beside the table in the backyard that held a mound of presents, and she assured us that she would be taking notes of who had gifted what so that we could send out thank you notes later.

The next half hour was spent opening so many gifts that I felt like my head would spin. Diapers, wipes, a play yard, a diaper bag, a baby monitor, lotion, toys… the list went on and on. And the amount of clothes that we received was almost ridiculous. He was definitely never going to have to run around naked. Michael, Max, and Trent had even jointly bought the four-hundred-dollar travel system that I'd registered for.

There was still a lot that we would need, but I was so grateful for everything that we'd gotten so far. "Thank you all so much for all of these gifts," I began, but Kono waved for me to stop before I could continue my speech.

"That's not all," she said, and she looked like she was about to burst wide open. "If you'll follow me up the stairs, please."

"Umm… okay?" I looked to Steve, but he just shrugged and stood with me.

Kono and Kol led the way upstairs, and I noticed halfway up that no one else was coming. "Just us?"

"Just us," Kono confirmed.

Kol took a small digital camera out of his pocket and turned it on as he reached the second-floor landing. "I'm going to film it for everyone, though."

I was thoroughly confused, and the look on Steve's face said that he was right there with me. "You've completely lost me, Kol."

"That's the point."

We walked past mine and Steve's room and made it to the end of the hall, right outside of the door that was supposed to be the nursery.

"Oh," I realized as Kol turned the camera on to begin filming. "I get it. Someone got the crib, I saw on the registry. Was it too big to wrap, so it's just sitting in there?"

"That makes sense," Steve said.

Kono and Kol exchanged a smug look, and then Kono turned the handle and pushed the door open. "See for yourself."

When I stepped inside, I gasped, and Steve had the same reaction.

Though I'd had a plan for the nursery for quite a while, we hadn't executed it yet. The only thing that we'd done had been to change out the carpet to a softer, off-white shade. We'd also bought the paint and the painting supplies, and they'd been sitting in there so that we could check that off of the to-do list the day after the shower.

But it had been completely transformed.

The white crib had been not only bought, but set up against the wall right where I had wanted it. The mattress – covered with the navy and white striped crib sheet that I'd picked out – was already in it, and the navy crib skirt brushed the carpet. A mobile of blue sailboats with white sails pulled the whole crib together. Above the crib was a big white canvas with a gray anchor that had ' _Ari Steven'_ painted on it in beautiful calligraphy.

The walls had been painted wonderful gray, and the navy and white striped curtains that I'd bought but hadn't done anything with yet were hanging in front of the window, tied back on either side with thick coils of rope much like the ones used to tie off boats. In the corner by the window was a white glider with a small navy 'Sail Away' pillow sitting on it. And beside it was a custom bookshelf made to look like half of a rowboat. It had been painted to match the room, and there were already some baby books sitting in it, waiting to be read.

A long white dresser sat opposite the crib, and a changing pad with a navy and white striped sheet on it sat in the middle of it. On the side closest to the glider was a navy fisherman table lamp, while the other side held a white wipes dispenser and a small navy storage basket with some diapers inside. Above the dresser hung an old-fashioned map, much like the ones I imagined old ship captains using.

On the small wall behind the door hung an oar that had been hand painted to match the room. Someone had put four hooks on it, so we could use it to hang jackets or towels or whatever we needed. Above that was an obviously hand painted sign that had mine and Steve's quote over some waves. _My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite._ On the floor beneath all of that was a small white wooden box shaped like a rowboat that would serve as a toy box.

Next to the closet door was a large wooden growth chart, navy with a white anchor painted on. Next to that were some navy shelves hung by some rope similar to the kind holding the curtains. On the shelves were various nautical objects. Looking up, I noticed that someone had painted a nautical compass around the ceiling fan.

It was only when I spoke that I realized that I was crying. "It's exactly like I pictured it." I turned to Kono and Kol, who stood nearby with soft smiles on their faces. "How in the world did you pull this off?"

"It was a huge group effort," Kol admitted in a rare moment of humility. "And Kono's idea."

She shrugged, but was smiling. "You guys have been through a lot. And Chin, Danny, and I hate that we couldn't be there for you in France, so we wanted to take this piece of stress off. We contacted everyone and asked them to pitch in. Like Kol said, it was a _huge_ group effort."

Kol nodded. "Chin, Danny, Kono, and I got here right when you guys left this morning and painted the room. Then, we started setting everything up while our other brothers did the second coat after it had dried a bit."

Kono picked up where he had left off. "I just gave everyone jobs for setting up the party and we split the workforce between that and this. So, everyone chipped in with setting everything up for you."

"Who did the boats?" Steve asked, gesturing between the bookshelf boat and the toy box one.

"Team effort," Kol said. "Max designed them and then Trent, Michael, and I put them together. We made Max paint them by himself, though, since he refused to pick up a tool."

I made a slow circle, just soaking it all in. "But how did you know where I _wanted_ everything?" The room looked like it had just jumped straight out of my head.

"You showed me, remember?" Kol asked me. "Two weeks ago, we came in here and you were pointing out where you wanted everything, once you had it." He tapped his temple. "And my brain is like a steel trap."

"I was thinking we were a little light on presents, for how many people were here," Steve mused.

He protested when I hit his arm. "Ungrateful."

"Not ungrateful," he disagreed. "Something just seemed off."

"This is amazing," I sighed as I once more looked around. I couldn't soak it in enough. "Thank you so much for doing all of this. I feel like I'm in shock."

Kono laughed. "Well, let's go tell everyone how much you loved it."

"And please make sure you mention how much you love the crib," Kol added. "Danny bought it, so he insisted on putting it together and it was _not_ easy for him."

"He kept saying that they've made them so much more difficult since Grace and, well… you can imagine," Kono laughed.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I don't even want to know."

"Gush about the crib," I nodded. "Got it. Who did the dresser, though?" It was bigger and looked even more difficult to put together.

"Wade and Joe," Kono said and headed for the door. "So, feel free to gush about that, too, because there was a fair amount of cursing going on up here as they were doing it."

"Catherine was up here putting the sheets on and said that Wade smashed his fingers three times," Kol added and also headed for the door.

Overwhelmed, I grabbed Steve's hand and looked up at him. "Ari has so many people that love him already."

Gratefulness exuded from him. "And two parents that would give anything for him."

Steve

"What, exactly, is the point of this?" I asked as I held up the blue and white hospital gown that was folded neatly beside the open suitcase. "Don't they provide gowns for you at the hospital?"

Allie snatched the gown away from me and put it back from where I'd grabbed it. "Stop messing with things! I'm trying to get this hospital bag packed. I'm almost thirty-nine weeks, you know. We should have done this a few weeks ago."

"You _started_ a few weeks ago," I reminded her and watched as she put my box of granola bars into the large rolling suitcase. "You made the checklist and said that had made you exhausted and you needed to eat something. And then you never went back to it."

"Well, you should have reminded me." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, almost as if in pain.

My sensors went off. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She took another breath and then opened her eyes again. "I've been aching all day, but it's getting worse. I think just because I spent all day cleaning."

" _Nesting_ ," I corrected her. She'd been scrubbing and organizing like crazy for weeks now. "And are you sure that's what it is? You could be in labor."

She rolled her eyes and began to put clothes into the suitcase. "I'm not in labor. I'm just aching."

"You said it's getting worse."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything."

"You're basically describing exactly what the childbirth class teacher was saying about labor coming on naturally. And you have a high pain tolerance, so take that into account. If you were just achy, I doubt you'd hurt like you're obviously hurting." She'd gotten that look of pain on her face again, and this time she was gripping her side with one hand.

When she finally opened her eyes again, I could see the fear and apprehension there. "Okay… _maybe_ I'm in labor."

Adrenaline began to course through my body and I started to throw things into the suitcase.

"Hey, careful!" she protested. "We have to make sure that we get everything on the list!"

"You just laid out everything on the list," I reminded her. "It's all here. And if we forget something, Kono or Danny can bring it." I zipped up the suitcase and hauled it up into my arms. "I'm going to load this."

"I'm going to take a shower," she said. "That should help with these awful contractions. Feed Gideon, will you? And let everyone know that we're about to head to the hospital."

An hour later, Allie informed me that she didn't think she could take much more.

"Ready, then?" I asked her, one hand on the doorknob and one hand ready to catch her if she fell.

With determination in her eyes, she nodded. "I'm ready."

I smiled. "Then let's go meet our son."


	60. Epilogue

… **..**

 **Hey, everyone! Welcome back to the very last chapter of** _ **Boundless as the Sea**_ **! I'm crying as I'm typing this author's note, because I'm so sad to see Steve and Allie's story end. Several of you have asked me to write another Steve and Allie story, but I just feel like this is where it has to end. Maybe someday I might come up with somewhere else to take them, but they're good with where they are right now. Someone suggested that I could just do some one shots instead of trying to come up with a whole new story, and that's a good idea, but I'm not sure I'll really have time to work on anything else right now. But, maybe if there's a lot of demand for it, I'll try to work something out. I love these characters so much, and I'm really glad that so many of you do as well.**

 **As you know, I gave everyone the opportunity to vote (via review and/or private message) on what my next story would be, and option one narrowly won! If you've forgotten what option one was, here it is:**

 _ **Steve McGarrett was married once, many years ago. He thought that maybe living and working in his home state of Hawaii would give him the distance that he needed to try to put the heartbreak far behind him once and for all. But when his ex-wife moves to the island with her family, he realizes that there is a very real possibility that moving on is never going to happen.**_

 **That story has a title now:** _ **The Journey to Healing**_ **. The first chapter is actually up right now, so head over and read it as soon as you can! I'm super excited to share it with you all!**

 **Thank you so much to all of you that have read, reviewed, favorited, followed, and private messaged. You all really kept this story going. I'll miss you all so much (but I hope to see you reading my new story!)!**

 **Happy Reading!**

… **..**

 _Epilogue_

Allie

I knew that no matter how long I lived, I would never be able to describe the emotions that overwhelmed me when the nurse placed my seconds-old son on my chest. My arms came up of their own accord to stroke his arms and his back. He was crying rather loudly, startled by all of the lights and sounds.

Steve gently placed another blanket on top of him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "Hey, buddy. Happy birthday. We're so happy to have you here with us."

I was just looking at him with tears blurring my vision, certain that I would never get enough of him. When the nurse appeared at my side and gently told me that she needed to take the baby to collect his measurements and give him the necessary vaccines, I didn't want to let him go. But my arms were far too tired to resist, so I let her take him.

"Go with him," I told Steve, not yet willing to let our son be more than an arm's length from one of us.

He nodded, kissed me once, and then disappeared from my side to go and be with our son, who did not seem to be enjoying the treatment that he was getting.

The next few minutes were all a blur. The doctor was stitching me up, the nurse was fiddling with my IV, and Steve was calling out measurements to me. Seven pounds, four ounces. Twenty inches long. My whole body was shaking, which the doctor assured me was completely normal after childbirth.

Steve appeared at my side once more, a worried expression the only thing that my eyes could focus on. "Allie? Are you sure you're okay?"

My teeth were chattering as I answered him. "Just… shaky. Stay… with… Ari…"

He nodded. "I will. They're going to give him a bath right now. Which gown did you want me to change him into?"

"Black…" I managed to get out, and Steve nodded with understanding and went to fetch it.

I wasn't sure how much longer it was before Steve walked over with Ari in his arms, but I was overjoyed to see them. The shaking had somewhat subsided, so I held out my arms and Steve placed our son into them, where he seemed to fit perfectly.

Everything about him was so _little_ – his nose, his closed eyes, his mouth. He just seemed so _fragile_ , wrapped up in his gray and white striped swaddle blanket to keep him warm. It was hard to imagine that he would ever grow up, and that was fine with me. I wanted him to just stay like that forever.

"I did a good job swaddling, right?" Steve asked me teasingly as he bent down so that he could be closer to us.

The swaddle was, indeed, perfect. Which made sense, because Steve had been practicing nonstop ever since our childcare class. He'd said that he wanted to be perfect at as many things as he could before the baby came. Clearly, it had paid off.

"It's perfect," I agreed, and realized that I was smiling. "Everything about today is perfect."

"Danny texted me to let me know that everyone is here and waiting to meet him, whenever we're ready. I figured you'd want to try to feed him first."

Before I could answer, my nurse stepped in with a smile. "Good idea. But before that, how about we let you get cleaned up a little bit?"

It was only then that I realized how gross I felt, and I eagerly nodded. It was with reluctance that I handed Ari off to Steve and then allowed the nurse to assist me as I stood. Once I had assured her that I was fine to walk on my own (I hadn't had the epidural and I always bounced back quickly from trauma), she allowed me to go into the bathroom by myself. Steve rolled the suitcase in to me with one hand, and then also left.

My shower was quick, but thorough, and it felt like heaven after the ordeal I'd just been through. Once clean, I wrapped my hair in one towel and quickly dried off with the other. I started the dressing process by putting on all of the appropriate padding. Then, I put on my comfy black pajamas that matched Ari's knotted gown. They were so unbelievably soft, and I was so glad that I'd bought them, even though Steve had insisted that they seemed like a waste of money.

My towel-dried hair was brushed out and then pulled up into a messy bun, where it would be out of the way. It took me a few minutes to decide whether or not to put makeup on, and I ultimately decided to just stick with the basics – tinted moisturizer, eyeshadow, and mascara. I'd just had a baby, after all. Surely, no one would judge me too harshly for looking like it.

Back out in the suite, I found the on-call pediatrician checking Ari out while Steve stood nearby. I also found that the hospital staff had already cleaned up all of the blood and brought in a fresh bed that I was all too happy to slide into.

The pediatricians finished checking Ari, congratulated both of us, and then left the room. My nurse materialized out of nowhere to ask if I was planning to breastfeed, and I told her that I was. She called the lactation consultant for me, and she couldn't come soon enough, because Ari acted like he was starving.

"Give the kid a break," Steve said when the lactation consultant made that same observation out loud. "He's never eaten in his life."

Luckily, he took to breastfeeding like a pro.

Once everything had finally calmed down and we were alone in the room, Steve and I both took about twenty minutes to just sit there and admire our now-sleeping baby.

"I like being a family of three," Steve decided after a few minutes of silence. "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Me, either." It had been the most perfect day of my life, even if it had started with labor late the night before.

"Good." He kissed me and when he pulled back, there was so much love in his eyes that I felt like I was drowning in it. "You were so amazing today."

"I was, wasn't I?"

He laughed. "You were."

"We should probably let everyone in now," I sighed, looking at Ari. "I just hate the thought of sharing."

Standing from the bed, Steve chuckled. "We'll tell them to keep it short and sweet. I asked Kol to bring us lunch, so we can eat while they're passing him around."

My stomach grumbled. "That's the best idea you've ever had."

He laughed and left to go and bring everyone into the room.

Kol bounded in first, his blue eyes bright with excitement as they landed on the bundle in my arms. "Is Ari ready to meet his favorite uncle?"

I feigned surprise. "Is Michael here already?"

My twin shot me a look and then approached the bed. "Not a good joke. Can I hold him?"

There was a great reluctance as I handed him over, but Ari hardly stirred. Kol handled him expertly, despite having little experience with babies. "You're a pro at this."

"Of course, I am," he replied and turned just as Danny, Chin, and Kono came into the room. "Hey, guys. Meet Ari. We're already best friends."

Danny, Chin, and Kono came to hug me and then to go and look at the baby. Meanwhile, Steve brought me a bag with a burger and some fries. He also had a large caffeinated drink.

"Coke?" I asked skeptically.

"You'll need it for your late night," Kol tossed over his shoulder.

"Okay, my turn!" Kono insisted, and she and Kol began to argue.

"Hey," Steve said in a faux tough voice. "No fighting over my kid. Kol, hand him over."

"But-"

"Kol," I cut him off, fighting back a smile. "Share."

He groaned, but obediently handed Ari to Kono. They all began to fuss over him as Steve and I ate our food. It was the best thing that I'd ever tasted, but that was likely only because I'd just gone through hours of labor without any kind of pain medicine.

"Trent, Michael, and Max are on their way," Kol informed me as Danny took Ari from Chin. "So are Dad and Uncle Edward…" The look that he gave me communicated everything.

"If our mother is with them, we'll just have to deal with it when the time comes."

Kol nodded. "I told our brothers that they could stay with me. Uncle Edward and Dad are getting a room at the Hilton."

"And we've already worked out the schedule for helping," Kono added, stepping closer to the bed.

" _You_ have already worked out the schedule for helping," Danny corrected.

She rolled her eyes at him before turning back to me and Steve. "Steve, the governor said that you're to take no less than three weeks off. Allie, your family will be in town for a week, so I've already worked out a schedule with all of them."

"What kind of schedule?" I asked, but I almost didn't want to know.

"Oh, it's a full-scale _schedule_ ," Kol cut in. "Day shift and night shift included."

Kono nodded. "Day shift is for bringing meals, doing anything that needs to be done around the house, and taking the baby if you guys need a nap. Night shift is to be there if the baby is up at night and you guys need a little bit of a break."

Chin stepped up beside his cousin and there was laughter in his eyes. "But Kamekona volunteered to do everyone's part of the yard work. He said that he doesn't do babies."

"Of course he doesn't," Steve muttered.

I laughed. "That sounds wonderful, but you guys really don't have to do all of that."

"Yes, we do," Danny said as he approached the bed. "We're family. That's what family does. Trust me, you need to take all of the help you can get. Get as much rest as you can now, before all of the help is gone." He deftly slid Ari back into my arms. "And there's your baby back. He's adorable, by the way."

"We know," Steve said smugly.

They began to banter, naturally, and so the rest of us talked about anything and everything.

And I reflected on the perfection of a life that a younger me never would have dreamed of.

Steve

I woke with a start, sitting upright in bed. The night was silent, but perhaps that was what felt wrong. My digital clock said that it was three in the morning, and I didn't remember getting up with Ari since we'd put him down in his bassinet around eleven.

I looked over, but Allie's side of the bed was empty. When I got up to check, I found that Ari wasn't in his bassinet, either. Allie usually just sat up in bed to feed him and we changed him on the little changing table that we'd set up in the corner of the room, so I couldn't imagine where she had gone.

The search lasted less than a minute, though. I found Allie in Ari's nursery, rocking him in the glider. Her face was barely illuminated by the dim nightlight plugged into the wall, but I saw an expression of pure contentment on her face as she sang.

" _Go north, go north with wings on your feet. Go north with the wind where the three rivers meet. There's a clearing of sorts in the circle of trees, where the wild constellations shine one, two, and three. Look all around you and see, deep in the forest, there dragons will be…"_

She noticed me and smiled gently. In a whisper, she said, "You didn't wake up when I got up to feed him, so I thought you probably needed some extra rest."

"We made a deal," I whispered back. "I get up and get him, you feed him, and then I swaddle him back up and put him down."

"Maybe I just wanted the extra snuggles," she said and pressed a kiss to the top of our son's head. "Before he outgrows my arms."

I smiled at the image of the two of them together, rocking in the early hours of the morning. "He's three weeks old. I don't think he'll be outgrowing your arms anytime soon."

"The days are long, but the years are short," she reminded me. It was something that she'd read in one of her parenting books, and she quoted it frequently.

"You need your rest," I told her. "He's asleep. I think he'll go down now."

She sighed and rose from the glider. "Fine."

Smiling, I led the way back to our bedroom. As I slid back under the covers, I watched her ever so gently place our swaddled son into his bassinet. I took in the tenderness of her expression as she stared down at him. And my heart felt like it was going to burst.

Finally, she climbed into bed and I pulled her close. "He's so lucky to have you as a mom."

"I hope so," she whispered back and kissed me. "But he _is_ lucky to have you as a dad."

I kissed her again and then told her to go to sleep. It didn't take her very long, either. But I remained awake for another ten or so minutes, just being so thankful for the both of them.

 _My bounty is as boundless as the sea…_

I fell asleep with those words echoing in my head.

 **Ari's Second Birthday**

Allie

"Happy birthday, dear Ari…" everyone sang as I gently placed the small cake on the tray of Ari's high chair. "Happy birthday to you!"

"Blow out the candles like we practiced," Steve said, and together, he and Ari blew out the two blue candles.

Everyone cheered, and then Ari dug into his cake like a starving man.

I laughed with everyone else and then went behind the kitchen counter to cut the bigger cake that we'd gotten for everyone else. Our house was crowded with the many people that adored our son and had come to celebrate his second birthday with us.

It seemed crazy to me that Ari had already been with us for two years. Then again, sometimes I couldn't remember what we had ever done without him. He filled our days with so much love and joy. Both slowly and all at once, he had changed from a chubby, smiley baby to a skinny, adventurous little boy. He was certainly his father's son, both in looks and manner.

Watching Steve be a father was one of the best things about being a mother. He was patient, loving, firm, and encouraging. He went off to work and saved the island, and then came home and was able to push aside all of the terrible things that he'd seen so that we could all spend time together as a family. He always made time for Ari, and I absolutely loved to watch them playing together. My boys.

Cake was eaten, chatter was exchanged, and then presents were opened. Ari was overjoyed about each and every present that he received, and it was comical to watch him excitedly talk about how excited he was to get to play with it. But the best part was when we took him out into the backyard after he had finished opening his presents from everyone else.

"This is the present from Mommy and me," Steve told him and led the way outside, where Steve, Danny, Chin, Kol, and Joe had worked all morning to set up the playset that we'd bought him. He loved the ones at the parks, so we'd decided to get him his own for the backyard.

His squeal of delight was confirmation that we'd made the right call.

Hours later, as Steve and I were putting Ari to bed, I sang the lullaby that had become routine since before he would ever remember. Then, Steve sang a lullaby in Pidgin from his own childhood.

Ari wrapped his arms tightly around my neck when I asked him for a hug.

"Did you have so much fun today?" I asked him, even though I already knew the answer from watching him excitedly play with his toys and friends.

"Yeah!" he told me, eyes sparkling with excitement still. It was going to take him a while to fall asleep. "Outside?"

Steve laughed. "It's dark outside right now, buddy. And it's bedtime. We can go and play on your playset tomorrow."

"Outside?" Ari asked again hopefully.

"Not now," I told him, but smiled. "Tomorrow, we can all go out there and play. Right now, though, you need to go to sleep."

As if on cue, he opened his mouth and let out a giant yawn.

I laughed. "Exactly. One more kiss for Mama?"

He obliged, and then willingly went into Steve's arms so that Steve could put him down in his bed and tuck him in.

"Good night, baby," I told him as I leaned down to kiss his messy hair. "I love you."

"Love you," Steve told him. "See you in the morning."

"Love you!" Ari happily told us as we moved for the door.

Once Steve had shut Ari's door behind us, he sighed. "Do we try to put away the party stuff now, or wait until tomorrow?"

"I was planning to clean all day tomorrow," I told him, grabbing his hand. "Everything that _needs_ to be put away has been put away. Let's just go to bed."

"Agreed," he said, relieved. "I'm beat. That playset was _not_ easy to put together."

"See?" I asked him as we moved for our bedroom. "Aren't you so glad that you listened to me and asked the guys for help?"

He grumbled something about me being right.

When he opened the door to our bedroom and saw the blue and pink balloons tied to our bedposts, he was more than a little surprised. "Whoa. What in the world?"

"Go check it out," I encouraged, not able to contain my smile.

So, he walked closer and then stopped, frozen.

After a minute, he turned around wearing the biggest smile I'd seen out of him that day. "Are you serious?"

I nodded and laughed with joy. "Baby number two will be here in about seven months."

Steve swept me off of my feet and spun me in a circle before he kissed me thoroughly, passionately.

When he pulled away, he said, "I love doing life with you, Mrs. McGarrett."

"I'm so glad," I whispered back. "Because I love doing life with you, too. I always will."


End file.
